The Shi-Tennou Return
by SanjouinDacapo
Summary: The four heavenly kings who served under Queen Beryl return to the physical realm, but each has to pay a toll to do so. They have a new mission, and a new enemy. Has some yaoi (Kunzite/Zoisite of course). Rated M for some fluffy, non-explicit bondage and some violence.
1. Chapter 1

As he watched Naru crying, tears began to well up in Nephrite's eyes. Even the warmth spreading through his body couldn't take away the deep sadness in his heart. He had said he would take her out for a chocolate parfait. It would have sounded silly, but he had lied to her so many times, he didn't want to lie to her again.

Now it was too late.

He was a spirit, standing and unable to do anything to comfort the girl who cried over his fading body. Nephrite tried to place a hand on her shoulder, to give her a hug and wipe away her tears, but he simply passed through her body. Nobody could see him. He was all alone there, forced to watch Naru's heart breaking into pieces like his corpse had.

Soon, he could feel himself rising into the heavens, along with the twinkling remains of his physical existence. Earth grew smaller, the clouds began to envelope him.

Was this... dying?

"Naru... Naru... please don't cry," he whispered.

He closed his eyes and felt the tears streaming down his cheeks. Even ghosts could cry, it seemed. Maybe it was the price he had to pay for siding with Beryl, but this was all he had known since his awakening. Where was he going to go now? To Heaven... or to hell?

Nephrite suddenly felt someone embracing him from behind, a gentle embrace, and a head leaning on his shoulder. Turning around, he opened his eyes to see a figure with familiar odango hair.

"Usagi?"

The figure shook her head.

Blinking again, Nephrite could see her more clearly; she was wearing a white gown and had a yellow upturned crescent on her forehead.

"Wh-who are you?" he asked, taking a step backward.

"I am Queen Serenity of the Silver Millenium," the figure replied with a sad smile.

"Why am I here?"

"Because you have died. Soon the other two will die as well... but they will not be here."

"Where will they..." Nephrite began, wondering how she could see the future.

"A dark place," Serenity replied, "They will be alone, completely alone."

Looking around, Nephrite saw a beautiful green meadow filled with colourful, fragrant flowers, and blossoming trees.

"Many of those who perished in the great battle that destroyed the Silver Millenium and the Earth Kingdom are here," Serenity continued, "Those who go to the dark place can escape... but only if they wish for someone to help them."

Nephrite furrowed an eyebrow.

"And can I escape from here as well?" he asked.

Serenity nodded.

"I want to return to Earth," Nephrite stated, "Can I be revived, even in this state?"

"You can," Serenity replied, "But it will come at a cost. A toll must be paid before you can return. You must give up something, and in your case, as with Zoisite and Kunzite, you must eventually locate Jadeite. He suffers even to this day."

"Hmm," Nephrite grunted, thinking about his former colleague, "He was trash."

"Was he?" Serenity asked, "Jadeite was loyal to a great fault. He focused every fiber of his being on serving his ruler."

"He was trash!" Nephrite repeated.

"Look inside your heart, Nephrite. Try to remember who you once were, and who you once served before the great destruction."

Serenity reached out and touched Nephrite's forehead. The former Dark Kingdom lord felt a massive wave hit him, then saw Prince Endymion, and felt himself bowing to his ruler, the one he had vowed to protect. Then he saw an image of a beautiful woman with flowing, wavy red hair. Something was taking over her, and she grew more and more obsessed with Endymion. Finally, he saw himself and the other three lords of the heavens at the front line, attacking the Moon Kingdom. That final memory was like a spear through his heart.

The images faded, and upon opening his eyes, Nephrite found himself on his knees, and was weeping loudly. He couldn't look at Serenity, not after what he had done. A gentle hand tilted his head up by the chin.

"Stand up," Serenity whispered.

"I don't... belong here," Nephrite choked his words, "I don't... deserve it."

"You do," Serenity countered, "Naru helped save your soul. You are not evil."

She held Nephrite close, stroking his wavy auburn hair, while he sobbed uncontrollably into her shoulder. Together, they rose from the ground and flew over the vast meadow, over to a large, intricately-carved stone fountain.

The former general sat down at the edge, absentmindedly dipping his hand in the cool water. This was to be his heaven? Such beauty and peace, and yet, he knew it was too good for someone like him.

He gazed at a patch of delphinium, bent down and smelled the purple flowers.

"I don't deserve to be here," he whispered, "Not yet. I saved a life at the cost of my own, but I made her cry. I can't bear it. And even sacrificing myself cannot pay for the atrocities I had committed against the Silver Millennium."

"You must forgive yourself," Serenity said, plucking a yellow carnation and handing it to the former Earth Kingdom lord, "Because I have forgiven you. Wash away those tears, Nephrite, because you have a new mission... you must again protect Prince Endymion... you and the other lords."

Nephrite accepted the small gift, then scooped some water out of the fountain and splashed it against his face, sighing at how refreshingly cool it felt against his skin. Suddenly feeling thirsty, he took a long drink. Water had never tasted so good.

He then felt Queen Serenity's arm on his shoulder.

"Nephrite," the queen said, "It is time for you to go back."

Nephrite nodded and started to get up from the spot where he was kneeling, but Serenity motioned for him to stay.

"There is a toll," she reiterated, "You must give up something to go back."

"Anything," Nephrite said, "Anything to go back... to fulfill my promises."

Serenity knelt down in front of the auburn-haired lord and dried his face with the hem of her dress. Then she stroked his back and began to reach inside just below his neck. The massage felt very pleasant, but soon a jolt like that from an electric shock startled Nephrite. It went through his entire lower body, and he slumped over, his head resting in in the queen's lap.

"Is this... the toll?" Nephrite asked, reaching to push back a stray strand of hair from his face with an arm and hand that felt like they were suddenly made of lead.

The queen nodded and held Nephrite's hand.

"You will find that it is a small price," she said.

Nephrite's hand felt slightly numb, and he rubbed his fingers together, frowning. Even moving them was difficult, and they felt a little stiff.

"The toll is a tiny piece of your spinal cord, Nephrite," Serenity continued, "A very small part, but something which will affect you greatly... yet it will be a small price compared to what you gain."

"I see," Nephrite whispered, smiling sadly up at the queen, "I'm so sorry... for everything."

The queen cradled Nephrite in her arms, and stood up. She began to sing softly, causing the former Dark Kingdom lord to doze off.

When he awoke, Nephrite saw that he was in the mansion that had been his home, and he was lying in the steel-framed bed. He heard Serenity speaking, but couldn't see her.

"You will have everything you need, Nephrite," the queen said, "Just lay low for awhile, and remember your mission. Lay low for a few seasons, and come out after you see a great light in the sky."

"A great light?"

"Yes," Serenity replied, "The light of many Star Seeds."

"Star Seeds? What are you saying?"

"The ones that Sailor Senshi and guardians possess. You yourself have one, as do your fellow lords, and Prince Endymion – Tuxedo Mask."

"Very well, Serenity," Nephrite mumbled, "How will I use mine?"

The yellow carnation appeared above him, and floated down into his hands.

"You will know," Serenity replied, "Now I must go."

* * *

Nephrite tried to sit up, but his body felt like it was being pinned down by something heavy. Looking at the side of the bed, he saw a large, padded chair with wheels on it. Then, he heard a knock at the door to his bed chamber.

"Who's there?" he demanded, alarmed that someone else was in the mansion.

"It-it's just me," a timid voice spoke.

The door opened and a chubby woman in a nurse's uniform walked in.

"Sanjouin-san," the woman said, "I need to turn you over now... I-I hope I didn't come at a bad time."

"You didn't," Nephrite – Masato – replied softly, "I just... had a bad dream. Must be those late night movies."

He and the nurse shared a quick chuckle, while she gently shifted him over onto his side.

"Nurse," he began, hesitating and blushing a little.

"Yes?"

"Could you bring me something? I know it is a little late... but could you bring me something... chocolate?"

The nurse raised an eyebrow, but nodded and left the room, leaving Masato to assess the situation. He didn't know how, but he would come back to fulfill his mission... and his promises. Meanwhile, the guardian of Endymion would have to stay away from the public, away from Naru, and come to terms with the toll he had paid. Having a second chance, he decided, was more than worth it.

* * *

For months, Sanjouin Masato rarely left his property. He couldn't risk being seen by Naru, or by others who would mistake him for a predator. It would be a given, since despite having only recently turned nineteen, Masato looked to be in his mid-twenties. He did however, before his death, drive like a teen who just got a license. The fake foreign license he had obtained thankfully negated the need for a tacky-looking waakaba – green leaf – bumper decal which would clash with his red Ferrari.

There were plenty of things to do aside from running his corporation – Masato had physical therapy, which involved lifting dumbbells and holding pens, re-learning to write, and even water therapy. Sometimes it was quite awkward, but he enjoyed floating freely in the water. It wasn't however quite so nice to his hair, which would become frizzy and unmanageable after getting wet.

Masato lounged on the sofa one night after his routine physical therapy, his head propped up with an expensive silk pillow, and watched the news. His nurse/therapist would sometimes join him before retiring to her room. Several things were happening, like humans turning into demons... the seven youma, as he remembered – seven champions of the Dark Kingdom. Then other strange demon-things he didn't recognize appeared, followed by humanoid robots.

Three more Senshi had appeared – first a tall one with long hair, then two who were seemingly never seen apart. One of them had wavy hair, and the other had short hair. All three looked older than the Senshi he had known. Their identities and origins were a mystery, but Masato felt like he remembered them, possibly from the great war of the Silver Millenium. He also heard word of a woman who survived a car accident but was in a coma – police suspected foul play.

Other enemies appeared; they were all women, and were making various attempts to extract something from the citizens. Masato decided to investigate in disguise, and took home a plant he had gotten rather cheaply. The whole thing smacked of Jadeite's "Pet-shop Perfume" scheme. No sooner had he brought the 'tellun' home, Masato could feel it attempting to suck something out of him.

Using one of his old powers, a power that he thought was lost, Masato grabbed the plant and burned it, setting off the sprinkler in his room. Then he went to check in on his nurse, finding that she had gotten two of those plants.

"I got one for you," she said, offering Masato the tellun in a rather sweet romantic gesture.

"Those are dangerous!" Masato yelled, wheeling himself over to the nurse he had long since thought of as a friend, "Put them down now!"

"What the heck? Masato! They're just pretty plants and I wanted to give you one..."

The Earth lord could not risk blowing his cover, even to a friend, so he had to let them work their magic. The flowers began to do just that, making the nurse drowsy. Both pots fell to the floor, out of Masoto's reach. Both flowers bloomed, and a hollow appeared in his friend's chest, and a crystal began to emerge. Masato felt a sudden wave of fatigue and a vise-like grip on his chest.

That was it. He had to kill the plants now.

The Earth lord remembered something – the gift that Queen Serenity gave him. Pulling the carnation out from his shirt, Masato began to transform. His clothes turned into a black tuxedo with yellow trim, and glowing brass flowed from the carnation onto his body. Masato felt the numbness melt away, and the muscles in his legs worked again. He could stand!

Masato – Tuxedo Nephrite – attacked the plants with two well-aimed carnations. The telluns withered and died, and as a final measure, Tuxedo Nephrite burned them. Then he called for an ambulance and changed back to his civilian form.

The numbness returned slowly, and he tumbled down to the floor, several feet away from his wheelchair. Feeling grateful for all of the exercises the nurse put him through, Masato pushed himself to a sitting position and scooted over to the chair, hooked his left leg onto it and climbed up into the seat. The auburn-haired Earth lord made note to himself to sit down in his chair before detransforming. Looking down at the floor, he saw a puddle and let out a string of obscenities.

When the nurse awoke, she had no memory of what happened. To cheer his friend up, Masato bought a Venus fly-trap, which she treasured.

* * *

He continued to watch the news, waiting for the right moment, and seeing what new enemies the Senshi and Earth faced. During the eclipse, Masato felt an evil energy closing in on the city, and would sometimes investigate the strange circus that had appeared overnight. Once in awhile he would catch sight of Naru, who was now with a bespectacled boy. The sight of her with another saddened Masato, but he was glad that Naru was alive and well.

Then came word of a flying unicorn, and then a meteor shower. His nurse began to obsess with mirrors, looking into her compact or one of the mirrors on the wall. Soon after the meteor shower, strange demons with odango hair began to attack Tokyo. Masato feared for Naru, but he could not do anything to protect her, despite how much his heart ached. It wasn't time to reveal himself yet.

Masato continued to watch and wait, sometimes looking for Naru, all the while paying attention to the news reports about strange animal-like Sailor girls turning people into sailor parodies. There were three new Senshi as well – their fuku looked completely different from those of the Earth Senshi. They also looked much like the Three Lights, an idol group that performed enchanting songs. These songs gave Masato some strange visions, visions which told him the time was drawing near.

Another thing that popped up on the news every so often was a group that called itself "The Happy Hub". Many people had joined it looking for enlightenment and happiness, but there were reports of its members disappearing. Others had spent all their money and were now working long and hard, or moving away.

This alarmed Masato greatly.

"Is this part of my mission?" he wondered, "I need to know when to act!"

"Soon," Serenity's voice replied, "Soon the three will awaken."

"Naru," Masato whispered, "Is Naru safe?"

"For now she is."

"For now," Masato spat, "Not good enough! I don't want any more harm coming to her!"

"It is too late for that. You will have to rescue her."

"Who are you talking to?" The nurse asked, having walked in on the conversation and only heard half of it.

Masato turned and thought of a good save.

"Just... just myself," he lied, "Just writing a drama."

"Well it sounds like a good one," the nurse chuckled.

He noticed the nurse had started looking rather tired and stressed. Dark circles were under her eyes, and she had lost a lot of weight. Yet she had a smile on her face, a dreamy smile, with a painted-on quality.

"Are you alright?" a concerned Masato asked.

"I'm just fine," the nurse replied, "I've begun to learn how to understand things a lot better, why we feel sad and angry, why we fear. I can banish it if I just concentrate more."

Masato's face and shoulders prickled with every red flag going off inside him. Was she...?

"You look unwell," he said, "Why not go retire to your room, or take a vacation?"

"I can't," the nurse replied, "I really need to work more... been having some money problems."

"I can give you a bonus if you need..."

"You don't understand," the nurse said, smiling vacantly, "I cannot be lazy. They told me I must work harder or I will fail!"

Masato's hair stood on end. He needed to do something, and quickly. Grabbing the nurse's hand, Masato tried something he thought he'd never need to do again: steal her energy. When he attempted to initiate the link, however, the Earth lord noticed something else doing the same thing.

"What?" he gasped.

The woman began to laugh like a lunatic, stripping off her clothes and running out into the rain – right in front of a passing car. The car swerved and missed, but the nurse was in a state of catatonia. Masato took out his cellphone and dialed for help. The ambulance came and took her to the hospital, but then for some reason, she was transferred to another, far away.

"I need to visit her!" Masato demanded, feeling as though his stomach was lurching its way out of his throat.

"I'm sorry," the lady at the desk said, "Visitors are not allowed. She is very ill, and any outside contact right now will only make her worse."

* * *

Masato spent hours asking for information, but it was pointless. For weeks, he tried to find some way to reach her, with no leads. He had by then hired a new physical therapist. She had previously worked with a woman named Eudial, who had survived a car accident and had to wear a body-cast for several months. Eudial had responded quite well, but the way she did it, from what the new therapist noted, it was as if she were channeling the energy of anger into her recovery.

He also would from time to time venture out in his Tuxedo form, and dealt with strange-looking women who dressed in what looked like sailor dresses. These women, however, were on the side of evil, trying to steal star seeds. At one point, Masato even briefly reunited with Kunzite and Zoisite after fighting and losing to an evil cat-sailor; the reunion would have lasted longer, but he had forgotten something and gotten into a rather embarrassing situation as a result. The Earth lord had a lot on his mind, and the last thing he wanted was to hear one of Zoisite's barbs about his clumsiness.

Aside from the averted embarrassment, Nephrite knew he had to do as Serenity had instructed and lay low, even if Naru's life was in danger. He could not let anyone recognise him, save perhaps Kunzite and Zoisite.

"I must reveal myself!" Masato cried out one night, alone in his bedroom, "Please! I have to rescue her!"

"You must wait... just a little longer," Serenity's voice whispered, "I'm sorry, Nephrite. I'm so sorry."

Weeping, Masato wheeled himself outside to watch the stars.

"Naru," he sobbed, "Naru, please be safe... please... I'm so sorry I cannot help you right now... please forgive me."

The sky suddenly grew very dark, and storm clouds formed, bringing a torrent of rain, strong wind and dangerous lightning. Then, he felt something pulling out of his forehead. Looking up, Masato saw that it was his Star Seed, clear and shining like gold. He watched it fly off, and felt himself began to fade away.

"Again?" Masato whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks, "Serenity... I thought..."

"Do not despair," Serenity's voice reassured him, "It is almost time."

"Naru," Masato lamented as the world grew dark, "I'm sorry... I cannot save you now... maybe we can have that chocolate parfait together... in Heaven..."

The next thing he knew, Masato awakened, feeling like he had dozed off for awhile in his chair. Looking up at the sky, he saw millions of Star Seeds flying through the sky. The sunlight felt warm on his face, and birds were singing. A cool breeze blew Masato's already-tangled hair, ratting it up more, but he didn't mind at all.

The time had finally come. It was time to go public and find out what happened to his friend the nurse, and to Naru. Zoisite and his youma would not spoil it.

Masato smiled and reached into his shirt, stroking the stem of his carnation. He had a second chance, a a chance to make up for everything that went wrong, a chance to make Naru smile, to give her a hug, to hear her laugh again.

"Naru," he vowed, "Wherever you are, I'm going to find you. Then we can have that chocolate parfait together – my treat!"


	2. Chapter 2

"I have always loved you, Master Kunzite."

Tears streamed down Zoisite's cheeks as he said those words. His world was growing dark, and there was so much he wanted to say, so many kisses he wished to give the strong, stoic man embracing him. He wanted to die beautifully, and he got his wish. Zoisite felt happy, yet sad that Master Kunzite would be alone. Kunzite never shed a tear, rarely showed any emotion. He could be so cold at times, yet so warm and loving in private. Now, as the soft petals fell lightly against his face, Zoisite could feel Kunzite holding him closer, telling him he sorry.

Don't be, Zoisite thought, Let me cry for you.

He was falling into darkness, into silence. For hours, Zoisite fell and was sure he would die from that, but when he finally reached the bottom of the abyss, he was still whole.

"Kunzite," he whispered, "Please don't forget me... please."

* * *

The former Dark Kingdom lord waited for a long time, and wondered if there were any other souls in this realm, perhaps Nephrite, or the citizens of the Earth or Moon Kingdoms. This realm was completely empty, however – no light, no food or water, and no sleep or death.

Zoisite could feel himself grow hungry, thirsty and weary. He couldn't see his own hands, or his beautiful face. Had it grown ugly? Where was Kunzite? Where were the other souls and fallen Youma?

"Kunzite! Nephrite!" he cried out, longing for anyone to talk to.

His only answer was the ever-present silence.

"Please... please Kunzite... can you hear me?," he whimpered, imagining Kunzite chiding him for breaking so easily.

Was this a test? Or was this... hell?

The former lord reflected on his last encounter with the dying Nephrite, how the auburn-haired lord had fallen for an Earth-girl. Where was he now? Was he in another hell, or was he in Heaven? If only Nephrite could be there with him, even Nephrite his adversary.

Yet there Zoisite sat, weeping as hunger gnawed at his belly, the thirst dried up his tears before they could fall, and the stench of his filth and sweat filled the air. Most of all, he wept at the thought of his Master, the gentle stoic. He would give anything to feel those arms around him again.

So tired. There was no way to tell how many days he had spent in that place, no sun or moon, no visitors – just darkness and silence aside from his sobs.

"Somebody please help me!" Zoisite screamed.

Shaking from exhaustion, hunger and thirst, and from the oppressive loneliness, Zoisite lost his composure completely and began to bawl like a child. It was then that he noticed a soft, white light. Someone cradled him the way Kunzite had in his final moments, and kissed him on the forehead. Something was pressed against his lips, and water – cool, delicious water – flowed into his parched mouth.

"Drink slowly," a woman's voice whispered.

Whoever it was, Zoisite didn't care. Someone had come, or maybe he was hallucinating, going crazy like Jadeite due to the curse Beryl had placed upon him. He felt himself being rocked, and fell asleep in his rescuer's arms.

* * *

Waking up, the former dark lord found himself lying in a bed in a small bedroom. It had no windows, but a single door. Sitting beside the bed was a woman with platinum blond hair in a familiar odango style. She smoothed the fringe of Zoisite's hair, and he sighed at that gentle touch.

"Zoisite," the woman said, "You have escaped your hell."

"Hell," Zoisite croaked, his throat still raw from crying.

"Shh," the woman whispered, tilting Zoisite's body to a sitting position, "I will care for you."

"Am I... ugly?" Zoisite asked, thinking in horror about how long he had been in that dark place.

The woman did not answer; instead, she took something from a nightstand by the bed. It was a metal tray with a ceramic cup and bowl, and a metal spoon. She placed the tray on Zoisite's lap, and then sat back down in her chair.

Whatever it was, the broth smelled heavenly. It had been so long since Zoisite had eaten, so he took a spoonful, then drank greedily from the bowl. His stomach was still growling, yet that little nourishment somehow made him feel better. Still, something bothered the former dark lord.

"Am I ugly?" he repeated, desperate to know.

"Beauty is more than a fair face and lovely hair," the woman replied, "But you had such a dark, ugly heart before you died."

Her words stung, yet Zoisite felt too weak and broken to answer in kind.

"Then... why did you rescue me?"

"Because you asked... and because there is some light and beauty in your heart."

"Where?"

"You will find it if you look," the woman replied, taking the tray and setting it back onto the nightstand.

She wrapped an arm around Zoisite and lifted him to his feet, walking him over to a small bathtub. For the first time, the former dark lord noticed he was dressed in a plain white linen nightshirt, and the band that tied his hair had been removed, letting it flow freely down his back. The woman sat Zoisite down on a wooden chair by the tub, and helped him out of his clothes. He sat there naked while she drew the bath and poured in some hot water from a brass kettle.

The woman then gently took Zoisite by the arm and helped him into the tub. After suffering in hell for so long, Zoisite welcomed the soothing bath. Something about this place put him entirely at ease, and even if it was a trick, even if he was going mad, it was still a welcome dream.

"Why are you doing this for me?" he asked.

"Because I forgive you," she replied, "And you wanted to escape, to have another chance."

The moon woman poured some warm water down Zoisite's head and back, and then let him enjoy his bath for awhile.

"Am I ugly?" he asked again.

This time, the woman showed Zoisite a mirror. He stared at the reflection, showing a gaunt, pale face with sunken eyes.

At this, he began to weep. The woman helped Zoisite out of the tub, and into a fuzzy robe, then walked him back to the bed. His legs were weak and unsteady from all that time spent in hell, and he was emaciated and sick from malnutrition.

"I couldn't help you," the woman explained, "Until you wanted to leave, until you cried out for someone to help. You had to be humbled."

"I'm ugly... I'm so ugly."

"You think you're ugly?" the woman asked, tucking a patchwork quilt over the broken young man, "Kunzite would disagree... even now, he is thinking of you on his way to the dark place."

Hearing those words, Zoisite sat up and grabbed the moon woman's arms, a look of sheer horror on his face.

"Please rescue him!" he cried, "Please don't let my Master Kunzite suffer!"

"I can't help him right now," the moon woman replied, shaking her head sadly, "He has to be broken enough to willingly accept my help."

"Just help him! Bring him here or somewhere else... any place but there!"

"Kunzite was so bound by duty, that he didn't even save you from Beryl," the woman noted, "Do you hate him?"

"I don't hate him," Zoisite sobbed, "I don't blame him at all! It was those senshi!"

"My daughter and the princesses of the inner planets."

"Who are you?" Zoisite asked.

"I am Queen Serenity. You and the rest of the Dark Kingdom destroyed the Silver Millennium... you killed me and my daughter, and Prince Endymion, whom you had sworn to protect."

The former dark lord could not believe his ears.

"He was our enemy! How could I swear to protect our enemy?"

"Let me show you," Serenity said, touching Zoisite's forehead.

Suddenly, Zoisite remembered everything, swearing an oath to protect Endymion, bowing before him with the rest of the generals, the growing distrust between the Earth and Moon Kingdoms, war, destruction, deaths of millions including those who used to be friends. Then, everything seemed to explode, and he was reborn in the present era, again falling prey to Beryl and trying to help her reawaken Metallia. He killed Endymion. He had broken a promise.

The memories and realization of what he had done was such a shock that Zoisite fainted into Serenity's arms. When he awoke, Serenity was bathing him with a sponge in a shallow bath.

"I am... ugly," he murmured, his heart sinking so deep that he couldn't even cry now.

"No," Serenity whispered, kissing his forehead, "You are not ugly."

"I deserve that dark place more than this."

"I have forgiven and rescued you, Zoisite. You have had my forgiveness even after my kingdom was destroyed, but you had to ask for help and then repent. When you first fell into that dark place, you would not have done so."

"I still... feel ugly."

* * *

For what seemed like an eternity, Zoisite stayed in the room and ate the humble, yet impossibly-delicious food Serenity gave him – including fresh bread, milk, vegetables, fruits and other simple dishes. Why would a queen cook for someone who helped destroy her world?

He was having an easier time walking now, which meant privacy while bathing and attending to other needs. There wasn't much else to do, but Serenity was almost always by his side, someone he could talk with, someone he could trust.

At the moment, Zoisite was lying in the bed, amusing himself by playing an imaginary piano. There was a song in his head, an image of a black cherry tree, of Kunzite standing solemnly in a shower of cherry blossom petals. He wanted to go back to Earth, but knew that Kunzite would not be there with him.

Just then, Serenity walked into the room, carrying the chamber pot she had been cleaning. Zoisite had offered to clean it himself – a rather unpleasant task to be sure – but she insisted that he rest.

"Serenity," Zoisite said, "I wish to go back to Earth now."

"And you will," she replied, setting the pot down, "But you must understand, that to be returned to Earth in your current form, you must pay a toll."

Zoisite nodded.

"What will this toll be?"

Serenity walked over to his bed and bent down, placing her hand on his chest. The hand sunk beneath his skin, through his ribs, and an ill feeling overcame Zoisite. The queen moved her hand lower, down to Zoisite's abdomen, which made his intestines churn.

"This?" he managed, swallowing back the contents of his stomach which were threatening to push their way into his mouth.

Serenity nodded sadly.

"When you arrive, something horrible will happen," she whispered, "But it isn't part of the toll, nor is it your fault. Some things just happen, and nobody can control them."

Zoisite nodded, feeling very weak and tired. Serenity withdrew her hand from inside the former earth lord, and took him in her arms.

"You, like the other three lords of earth, have a star seed, just as Prince Endymion has. You will soon be able to use it."

"Star seed?" Zoisite whispered, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Yes, and your mission is to find Jadeite and help free him, and bring light to this world."

Serenity conjured a green zinnia, which she tucked into the Earth lord's nightshirt. Lifting Zoisite off the bed, she walked toward the door, opening it up to a room filled with bright light and the scent of wildflowers. As she did, the queen began to sing an ancient lullaby, and Zoisite gave in to the wave of fatigue.

* * *

Jeering voices woke Zoisite from his dream. At first, he could not understand what they were saying, but his body was aching all over. Something hard slammed against his back several times.

"Wh-what?" he grunted, before being silenced by another blow.

Turning around and opening his eyes, he gasped at the sight of three shadowy figures wielding various blunt weapons. The terrified man tried to get to his feet, but someone grabbed him by the arms and lifted him up roughly. No matter how he struggled, Zoisite could not escape.

"So, ya gonna pay up or what?" a man carrying a crowbar sneered.

"What-what do you mean?" Zoisite gasped.

"You know **exactly **what I mean!" the man laughed, swinging his weapon at Zoisite and hitting him in the pelvis.

Zoisite screamed in agony, a scream answered by several more blows. Why were they doing this? Was this the 'great pain' Serenity had mentioned?

"GIVE US YER MONEY ARSE BANDIT!" another yelled, "GIVE IT NOW!"

There was nothing he could do. Even with his powers, Zoisite was better at agility than brute strength. He was helpless against the assault, and could only scream for help while enduring the beating. Why did Serenity let this happen?

Zoisite felt something running across his stomach, and then something wet. Had he pissed himself? Everything began to spin, and the Earth lord felt like he was dying all over again – this time alone.

Zoisite managed to whisper, "Kunzite..." as the darkness closed in on him again.

* * *

He awoke in a white room that smelled of medicine. His body ached but also felt a little numb, and everything was hazy like in a dream. Some people were talking to him, but Zoisite didn't understand most of what they were saying. He couldn't speak very well either, as something was holding his jaws together.

After several days spent in that state, Zoisite started regaining some lucidity. He had been mugged and beaten, and several bones had been broken. Not only that, but he had been stabbed a few times, and his intestines had to be repaired. He was lucky to be alive, according to the doctor. A police officer had found him, and called an ambulance.

Weeks passed and the wires were removed from Zoisite's jaws, though he still had to wear a cast on his left leg, and would use a colostomy bag until his intestines were fully-healed. The stitches, however, would leave behind permanent scars.

Zoisite – or Adrian Kirsch, the name on his ID card – was a pianist who had fallen on hard times. Health problems, including a heart condition and juvenile diabetes, should by all rights have killed him, yet he survived. He was even tested for HIV due to his emaciated body, but luckily the results were negative.

* * *

Finally, Zoisite – Adrian Kirsch – was released from the hospital and his rescuer drove him to his house.

"Are you feeling alright?" the man asked as they parked at the kerb.

"I'm feeling fine right now," Adrian replied, yawning a little.

"My wife is fixing dinner," the man said, "Just make yourself at home, and I'll help you with your things. Oh – and our daughter has been wanting to meet you."

The house was modestly furnished, and after Adrian was settled in, he went to the parlour to find a simple wooden piano. Sitting down and leaning his crutch against the wall, he played a few notes, then started playing the song that had been in his head during that stay in the other realm.

"Whatcha playin'?"

Turning around, Adrian saw a little girl who looked looked like she had just gotten back in from playing in the dirt, and gave a soft, somewhat arrogant smile.

"Just a song I wrote," he chuckled, "Do you play the piano?"

"A little," the girl replied, climbing up onto the bench beside him, "But not as good as you."

"Heh," a smug Adrian snorted, "You'll learn."

The two played until dinner was ready, and Adrian made sure to check his blood sugar while the girl's parents tried to persuade her to wash her face. It was a nuisance, but unavoidable now. He would have to make it a routine. After taking some pills, he lounged for awhile on his bed, pondering all the events.

"Try to lay low," Serenity's voice warned, "Until the Northern Sky is brightened at night in three moons."

Adrian nodded, then felt someone place something in his hand. He wrapped his fingers around a stem, and looked to see a glowing green zinnia. Knowing that he would need it in the future, Adrian tucked it away in his shirt. Then he turned on a radio to listen to the news.

Most of the local reports had to do with his attackers, who were awaiting trial, but some news from Japan caught his ears. Some of them were about some strange monsters and aliens, and then there was some kind of organization which called itself 'The Happy Hub'. Many were joining, looking for enlightenment. Adrian wondered if the Senshi would ever accept him as a friend, after what he had done.

That night, Adrian slept restlessly, plagued by nightmares of the attack. He would have to see a counselor about it, but doubted anyone would understand. His beautiful body was forever marred with scars from the stabbing. What would Kunzite think of him?

* * *

Several more months passed, and he was soon healthy enough to hold some concerts and even record an album. The money he received from these ventures was enough to start paying rent – something Adrian wanted to do out of gratitude. Of course by now he was able to walk out in public, as the sky had lit up.

Adrian knew he would have to go back to Japan – and soon. Something was very wrong, something hiding even from Sailor Moon. He needed to find out what it was, but it wasn't time yet.

"Wait," Serenity's voice told him, "Wait until you hear word of a Pegasus in Tokyo."

Adrian nodded, thinking more about all the recent events. He felt so full of joy, yet still incomplete. Would his beloved Kunzite still love him after seeing all his scars? Adrian was even afraid to look at them, and often bathed and dressed in the dark. He felt so ashamed for being unable to stop those men, despite his frail body. Yet the Earth lord also felt as though he deserved it for his past deeds.

"Master Kunzite," he whispered as he looked out the window by his bed, "Would you still love me?

Adrian decided to take a walk down the streets while the couple he was boarding with were shopping and their daughter was in school. As he approached one of the local grocery stores, Adrian stopped to rest. His heart condition and diabetes made walking long distances very tiring, and at times annoying. Suddenly he heard people screaming, and with some hesitation, went to investigate.

Three men were robbing the store and holding several employees and customers – including the couple who let him stay at their place – at gunpoint. Even though he was afraid to act, Adrian knew he had to. Queen Serenity had commanded him to bring light to the world, and though she would possibly forgive him for running away frightened, the Earth lord knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if his benefactors were to die.

However, first he would need to hide, as some people were gathering around the shop. Ducking in an alley, Adrian took the zinnia out of his shirt and with the sharp end of the stem pricked a finger on his left hand. A thin stream of green light came out of the small wound and enveloped him, becoming a green-trimmed tuxedo.

Feeling energized from the transformation, Tuxedo Zoisite ran into the building and threw several well-aimed green zinnias at the robbers, blinding them.

"Who's there?" demanded the one guarding the hostages.

"The magnificently beautiful Tuxedo Zoisite," the Earth lord replied, running over to him and snatching the gun out of his hand, "And I might be mistaken, but this is not a toy, is it?"

He held the gun against the man's head.

"Am I right?" Tuxedo Zoisite asked, cocking it for effect.

"Y-y-you're insane!" the man blubbered.

"Maybe I am," Tuxedo Zoisite chuckled, "But I'm not the one pissing my pants, am I?"

He turned to see the other two brushing the petals off their faces, and decided to use his old powers against them.

"Zoi!" he shouted, sending a barrage of cherry blossom petal daggers at the other two.

The frightened – and now bleeding – men dropped their guns and ran out of the store and into the hands of the police. Tuxedo Zoisite decided to head out the back way, avoiding the puddle one of the robbers left. Outside, he detransformed and felt weak again. It was mildly disheartening, but after all, the illness was part of his toll. Besides, Adrian thought as he walked over to see the men being hauled to jail, at least they would never suspect the weak, frail Adrian.

* * *

Over the next few months, Adrian occasionally foiled crimes, sometimes helping the police catch kidnappers and terrorists. He had grown to love his new home, but still, a part of him was incomplete. He needed to be with Kunzite, his beloved.

"Be ready," Serenity told him one night, "The time is drawing near. Pack up your things and be ready to move to Japan."

"Will I have everything that I need to stay there?" he wondered.

"Of course you will," Serenity replied, "You can make your own official records and alter memories just as Neprhite and Jadeite had done."

"That's a relief," Adrian chuckled, "But will the Senshi accept me?"

"It will take time, but they will eventually accept you."

Adrian nodded, and continued to listen for reports of the pegasus. Two weeks later, as he was watching TV with the people he had come to consider his family, a news report describing a pegasus flying over Tokyo startled him. It was quite saddening, but Adrian knew it was time. Three days later, he said his goodbyes, and promised to write and call them.

There was an invitation to live and perform in Tokyo, and Adrian had to take this opportunity. He also would finally be reunited with another dear family member after being away for so long.


	3. Chapter 3

His attack failed. Not wanting to turn coat on Beryl, despite what she had done to his beloved, Kunzite made the decision to lash out at Sailor Moon. Feeling himself fading away, he cried out to Zoisite:

"Guide me to where your soul wanders!"

Kunzite fell through a dark void, bravely waiting for what he would see at the end. There was nothing – nothing but darkness and silence. Where was Zoisite? Had he missed his lover? Kunzite knew he had heard Zoisite's voice.

"Zoisite, are you here?" Kunzite called out for his lover.

There was no answer – not even an echo. The place was completely dark, and he was still falling. When the former Dark Lord reached the bottom of the pit, he stood up and began to feel for a way out. The walls were solid and made of some cold, smooth material that he could not identify, and there was no door, no opening at all.

"Zoisite!" he called again, "Zoisite please tell me where you are!"

Those damned Senshi, he thought, Had they not interfered, Zoisite would still be alive, they would be together. Now he was alone. Even company with Dark Endymion was preferable to this. Even the presence of the one who replaced Zoisite... Kunzite had been so utterly desolate in the weeks after Zoisite's death that nobody could comfort him, and still the universe saw fit to give him something worse.

* * *

For days, the solemn Dark Lord waited, pacing the room, crying out for Zoisite and the others. He grew hungry, thirsty and tired, yet sleep was impossible. Even with the silence and darkness, Kunzite was very much awake. He was very much aware as well of the hunger clawing at his stomach. Sweat and tears caked his skin, yet Kunzite waited.

"Zoisite... oh Zoisite," he whispered, "I do not deserve you. Please... I hope you are somewhere beautiful!"

Was this the fate of Jadeite? Kunzite had not had much to do with the arrogant lord, much preferring to simply watch things as they went on, biding his time and staying with Zoisite. It wasn't until that traitor Nephrite's death that he started becoming more actively involved in assisting Queen Beryl. Had he assisted Jadeite, that eager volunteer, none of this would have happened.

Still he waited for what seemed to be ages, wondering how Beryl was faring. Regardless of what she had done, his loyalty did not waver. As guilty as Kunzite had felt for not protecting Zoisite from that blast, he still would not betray the Dark Kingdom. The best he could give Zoisite was his last wish: to die beautifully.

That sparkling meadow full of flowers was a poor illusion, yet it made Zoisite smile. It was a smile Kunzite knew he would miss. The memories of his beautiful face were all the former Dark Lord had left, and even those would eventually fade, he feared. He would never see Zoisite again. That would be his punishment for blind loyalty.

Giving up on hope, Kunzite lie down on the floor, which stank from the filth which had accumulated, longing to die, to fall asleep and never awaken. Sleep would not come, nor would death, despite his aching, empty belly. It was useless to even try. No dreams, no escape – nothing to keep him sane.

"Please," he croaked, "Somebody... kill me... please kill me."

* * *

Kunzite's body was growing weaker with the passing time, and he felt like he would shrivel to nothing and still be tormented in this place.

"No. I will not let myself be humiliated," he decided, righting himself.

Feeling for a wall, Kunzite took a breath and lunged, bashing his head against it, and screamed from the excruciating pain. Again and again, he bashed his head against he wall, but it did no good. Thick blood ran down his hair and neck, and still, Kunzite was conscious and aware.

"You cannot... even let me die?" he breathed.

Banging his fists against the wall, he screamed and cried for death, and the only reply was silence and despair. Finally, Kunzite gave up and just lie there on the ground, staring into the void of his prison, all hope abandoned.

"Zoisite," he whispered, "Please... oh if anyone guards this place, please be kind to Zoisite... please... tell him... that I love him."

With that, Kunzite began to weep loudly.

I never kissed you enough, my dear one, Kunzite thought, I wish I could have given you so much more... so many more kisses... my dearest Zoisite... I failed you.

* * *

The darkness had become familiar, yet no less oppressive. Kunzite just lay in the same spot, wishing for mercy, for a crust of bread, a little water. He wanted out, yet knew he deserved this dark place.

"Please... help me," he mouthed, giving up the last trace of hope for an escape.

A soft glow lit up the room. Kunzite was too weak to respond, so he just waited. Someone lifted him up gently, and a piece of wet cloth was placed to his lips. Kunzite drank the water gratefully, letting it soak his parched mouth and throat.

Was this hope, or had he finally succumbed to madness? Who was singing to him?

* * *

Kunzite felt himself lying in an impossibly soft and comfortable bed. After seemingly an eternity in that awful place, the sheets and blankets felt so delightfully soft that he couldn't stop running his fingers over them, even when just moving took an incredible effort.

Someone lifted his tired body and scooted it back a little, propping the former Dark Kingdom lord on what felt like a home-sewn pillow. A piece of wet cloth was held to his lips, and something warm and salty trickled into his mouth. It was the first nourishment he'd had in what seemed to be an eternity. A few more mouthfuls, and Kunzite fell asleep again, while a hand stroked his. After so long, he finally was allowed rest.

He awoke to find himself leaning against the hard sides of some kind of furniture. Kunzite still was too weak to move, but as a piece of wet cloth touched his face, the white-haired dark lord opened his eyes. All he could see were a few fuzzy shapes. It was clear, however, that someone was bathing him. The water was pleasantly warm, and the contact was more than welcome.

Soon, Kunzite felt himself being lifted out of the tub, his head resting on the rescuer's shoulder. Could he trust whoever rescued him? Regardless of his wariness, Kunzite had no choice but to let the mysterious rescuer lay him down on the bed again, and wrap him in a soft, cozy blanket. He felt like a swaddled infant, content and warm.

* * *

As the days went by, Kunzite began to notice things about the place, his rescuer, and himself. He was in a dimly-lit room with wooden furniture and a metal tub. It was by no means luxurious, but that didn't matter. The rescuer was a woman dressed in a white gown, and her platinum blond hair was done up in a familiar odango style. Had Sailor Moon rescued him?

Kunzite had a good look at his arms and hands – they were skin and bones, and wrapped in bandages. Reaching up to feel his head, he found that parts of it were dressed with bandages as well. Why would Sailor Moon treat him so well?

"Zoisite," he whispered, speaking for the first time since his rescue.

"He is already back on Earth," the moon woman said, smiling warmly at Kunzite.

"Impossible," Kunzite breathed, falling asleep in the warm cocoon.

* * *

He didn't speak much for awhile after that, just letting the moon woman feed and care for him. Maybe it was all that time spent in that prison, and the realization that Jadeite was likely going through the same thing horrified Kunzite to no end.

The moon woman placed a tray on the former dark lord's lap. On the tray was a glass of milk, a slice of bread, and a bowl of broth. The food was becoming more varied now, and humble as it was, it tasted impossibly delicious. As Kunzite dipped his bread into the broth, he thought about what the moon woman had said. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he felt it would be inappropriate to impose on her.

"Zoisite is waiting for you," the woman suddenly said, as she emptied the tub.

"Where is he?" Kunzite asked, taking a bite of his broth-soaked bread.

"I cannot tell you where he is," the woman replied, "You must find him yourself."

"How will I?"

"You too will return, once you are strong enough and ready to pay the toll."

"Toll?"

"You were rescued from your hell," the woman explained, "Because you had realized that you were powerless to escape. You were humbled, though for you it took much longer than it did for Zoisite."

Kunzite let out a scream of rage, throwing the tray and its contents against the wall and lunging at the woman.

"HE WAS THERE TOO?" the former dark lord yelled, grabbing his rescuer's neck and squeezing with all his might.

She choked and gasped for air, but did not struggle – instead just going limp and gazing up at Kunzite with sad, remorseful eyes.

"Yes," the woman managed, "I am... so sorry. Please... forgive me."

"You sent him there!" Kunzite growled, squeezing harder in his fury, "WHY DID YOU DO IT?"

The woman tried to shake her head.

"N-no," she croaked through the angry man's stranglehold, "I... did...n't."

The burst of energy did not last long, and soon Kunzite passed out by the side of his bed. When he awoke, the woman was tilting his head up and feeding him a spiced apple cider.

"I'm sorry, Kunzite," the woman whispered, "I know you loved Zoisite... but I didn't condemn him to that hell... he made that place himself."

"What?" Kunzite managed between sips.

"Those dark places are made by those who die with evil in their hearts," the woman explained, "Sometimes they are reincarnated before they leave, but you create your own hell. Everything you wish for, it denies, except for help. You cannot escape by yourself, but knowing that you are helpless on your own is what opens you to accept assistance from others."

"I don't... understand," Kunzite whispered, looking down at the hands he had used to hurt the kind woman.

"You have to be humble; you have to recognise that you are not strong enough to escape on your own, and you have to recognise your sins."

"My... sins," Kunzite breathed, "I... I let Zoisite die... I was so devoted to the Dark Kingdom's cause, that I let him die. I killed him."

"No you didn't," the moon woman replied, "You did kill a lot of people in the past, but that was in another lifetime. You didn't kill Zoisite, did you? Who killed him?"

"I did," Kunzite repeated, "I killed him. I hesitated, and he died. I even could have given my energy to restore him... but I didn't."

"You hesitated," the moon woman insisted, "That was not murder. Who murdered him?"

"I did!" Kunzite sobbed, "I KILLED HIM!"

"WHO KILLED HIM?" the woman asked again, some sternness in her voice, "Who caused his death?"

Kunzite just wept loudly, and felt himself being shook by the Sailor Moon look-alike.

"WHO KILLED HIM?" she demanded.

"B-Beryl... she... she killed him," Kunzite replied, shaking and sobbing.

"She did," the woman whispered, holding the crying man close and rocking him, "She killed him, Kunzite. She killed him. And why did she?"

"He... she said he disobeyed her... he tried to kill..."

"He tried to kill Tuxedo Mask."

"So he was... completely at fault?"

"We all have choices," she said, "Beryl, Zoisite and everyone else in the Dark Kingdom were all under the influence of Metallia, but everyone still could make a choice. Beryl recognized Tuxedo Mask as the one she had been in love with those millennia ago, so she killed Zoisite for trying to get rid of him. She also killed many others out of jealousy toward my daughter... my daughter and Tuxedo Mask – then known as Prince Endymion – were in love with each other. Beryl's love was one-sided, and Metallia used her to destroy the Earth and Moon Kingdoms."

"Who was your daughter?" Kunzite asked, trying to blink back some of his tears.

"Princess Serenity," the woman replied, "Tsukino Usagi... Sailor Moon."

With that, the woman placed a finger on Kunzite's forehead, sending him a barrage of memories. They shocked and disgusted the former dark lord... the one who had once vowed to protect Prince Endymion. He had betrayed the prince, and with him, the Silver Millennium.

"I deserve hell," Kunzite said, not wanting to look at the one he now knew as Queen Serenity.

Lifting up his head gently by the chin, Serenity smiled at Kunzite.

"I forgive you," she told him, "And so does Zoisite. You must go back to join him, for your time here is growing short."

"What... good can I do?" Kunzite asked.

Serenity drew the former Earth lord closer and kissed away his lingering tears.

"Spread light in this world," Serenity replied, "There are still many enemies that need to be defeated, and her latest battle will soon end in triumph, but there is another that has been biding its time. You and the other Earth lords need to help the Senshi. You, Zoisite, Nephrite and Jadeite will become the Four Tuxedos. You all have Star Seeds, which give you great powers."

"Star... Seeds?"

Serenity nodded.

"These Star Seeds had been corrupted by Metallia, but they will now be pure and clear. You have repented of your sins, Kunzite – you, Zoisite and Nephrite. You must help Jadeite, however. The three of you can find him, and I will free him from that prison."

"Zoisite," Kunzite mouthed, thinking about his beloved.

"Zoisite is happy and safe on Earth," Serenity reassured him, "But there will be something he will not want to discuss for a long time. Something terrible happened to Zoisite after he left this place, and he will need you to just be there and ready to listen. I can't tell you what it is... I'm so sorry, Kunzite."

Kunzite's heart sank. So this was one of the consequences.

"I still feel at fault for this," he sighed, "Had I... accepted Sailor Moon's gift of healing..."

"You would have been able to bring Zoisite back," Serenity finished, hugging the heartbroken Earth lord, "You would have become friends with her and the rest of the senshi even then, after all the atrocities you had committed."

"I rejected the light."

"Because of this, the light of the sun will be your enemy for the rest of this life," the queen explained sadly as she broke the embrace, "You will no longer be able to walk outside during the day uncovered, but you must bring light to the world where you previously brought only darkness. This is your toll."

Kneeling and bowing before the queen, Kunzite simply said, "I accept my fate."

Serenity bent down and cupped Kunzite's face in her hands. His entire body glowed for a moment.

"Is this how the others paid their tolls?" the Earth lord asked.

"In a way," Serenity replied, helping Kunzite to his feet, and walking him to the door.

"Close your eyes," she instructed.

He complied, and she led him through to a place filled with bright light that shone through the Earth lord's closed eyelids, and air that smelled like fresh wildflowers. Despite longing to see what had to be a beautiful place, Kunzite dared not open his eyes. He began to feel sleepy, and the world began to spin. Someone placed what felt like a stem into his hand.

Kunzite was holding Zoisite again, hugging him tightly and kissing the slight young man all over his porcelain face. The sounds of his laughter filled the air.

"Oh Zoisite," Kunzite whispered, "I love you."

* * *

The sound of shouting jerked Kunzite from his dream. Stumbling to the window, he looked out to see what was going on. A rash began to form on his face, reminding him of his toll. Kunzite got dressed and covered his head, then put on a pair of sunglasses, before going to investigate the spectacle.

Two men were being led to a gallows in the town square, and the man standing on the platform announced that the two men had committed a grave crime: Sodomy.

Kunzite felt his blood boiling. It reminded the Earth lord all too much of Zoisite being ripped away from him.

"Habib," a man next to him whispered, "What do you think of these animals?"

"Which animals are you speaking of?" Kunzite – Habib – replied.

"You know what I'm talkin' about!" the man laughed.

Habib just nodded, realizing the danger he was in. He reached into his robe, then slunk away into an alley. There, the Earth lord took out a chrysanthemum, which glowed white. His shadow enveloped his body, turning into a tuxedo with white trim. Then, Tuxedo Kunzite stepped back out into the crowd as the nooses were being placed around the mens' necks.

"STOP THIS!" Tuxedo Kunzite roared, throwing a chrysanthemum at the executioner.

The crowd grew silent and turned to see who had interrupted their cries for innocent blood.

"Who are you?" the judge and executioner demanded.

"Never mind who I am," Tuxedo Kunzite growled, "Stop this AT ONCE!"

"Allah demands that they die!" the angry judge shot back.

Tuxedo Kunzite made a leap toward the platform, a leap impossible for normal people. For some reason, the sun did not harm him. Taking out a bouquet of chrysanthemums, Tuxedo Kunzite threw them at the judge and executioner, and at several people in the front of the crowd. Then, knowing he had to act quickly, Tuxedo Kunzite took a small knife that was hidden in his jacket, and with it, cut the nooses and bindings from both prisoners. He removed their blindfolds as well, and then grabbed them both by the arms.

"There's no time to waste!" he told them, "We must get out of here, and quickly!"

The three ran for dear life until they cleared the town. Smuggling them out of the country was not an easy task, but Tuxedo Kunzite had to do it.

* * *

Over the next year or so, he rescued others from outrageous punishments. Tuxedo Kunzite had become a worldwide celebrity, breaking prisoners out and spiriting them away, though he also had a price on his head. They wanted him – dead or alive. Habib didn't know why he suddenly cared for these people. It was a mystery, though maybe Nephrite would be able to explain it. Before his death, Habib had only cared about was Zoisite.

"Be ready, Kunzite," he heard Serenity tell him one night, "It will soon be time to journey back to Japan."

"How will I know?" Habib asked, suddenly feeling torn.

"When you hear of a strange epidemic in Japan," Serenity replied, "One involving mirrors."

"Hmph," Habib grunted, "Japan seems to be a target for the strange."

* * *

Three months later, Habib heard a report on the radio describing what Serenity had told him. It was time. Boarding the plane under the pretense of setting up a research organization for skin disorders, Habib thought only of holding his beloved Zoisite again and never letting go.


	4. Chapter 4

Managing an organization was nothing new, as Kunzite – Habib – was the eldest and the leader of the Shi-Tennou. It was, however, quite annoying having to make public appearances. Daylight was not kind to his skin, as the toll necessitated covering up and using a lot of sunscreen. He also feared that the shades he often wore would give him away, since they were part of his 'Tuxedo Kunzite' persona. There was, after all, a price on his head.

"Remember your powers," Habib mumbled to himself as he made preparations for a guest spot on a talk-show.

Looking into the mirror, Habib noticed the freckles on his face. Those were one of the symptoms of his disease, and he wondered if Zoisite would recognise him. For that matter... would he recognise Zoisite?

* * *

The interview went on without a hitch, due to the records someone had forged. Jadeite and Nephrite had employed similar record changes when going on their own energy-gathering missions – missions which of course mostly failed.

Habib let out a sigh of relief once the interview ended and he was finally alone again. Crowds never appealed to the silver-haired man. He wasn't meek, but Habib preferred to be alone, or with his beloved. He tended to be rather private, and rarely showed any emotion except when alone with Zoisite.

The Earth lord had received a large amount of money, most of which he used to fund his company and pay bills for rent, utilities and food. His apartment was small and cramped, and neighbours were sometimes rowdy, but the worst had to be the reporters and mindless fans.

Luckily, soon the media turned its attention to a new singing group, whose name escaped Habib. He never cared much for popular culture, though some aspects did intrigue the Earth lord. As the days went by, Habib mostly listened to the radio or read one of the novels he had collected, while trying to drown out the noise of his neighbours.

One day, while he was reading, Habib heard the voice of Queen Serenity:

"Turn on the radio."

* * *

Adrian practiced alone in his cottage, playing another of his compositions. Quite a few had grown popular, and earned him the admiration of many teenage girls. He didn't know if it was his talent or his looks that got their attention, but either way, the Earth lord was pleased. They were not his type of course. His heart belonged to one man, and one man only. Would Kunzite hear his singing and the message it carried?

The Earth lord had a concert scheduled later that morning, so he had to make sure the song sounded just right. There were many other tasks to complete, like testing his blood sugar and taking the myriad of pills for his condition. It had become a routine these days, so he didn't think much of it.

The concert however wasn't going to be a routine venue; he was going to play the piano for a trio who called themselves the "Three Lights". From what he saw, they were all quite attractive, but not as beautiful as he was – at least what he allowed others to see. Their hair was done in a sort of mullet style – something they managed to pull off despite the tackiness inherent to the mullet – and he couldn't believe they were allowed to attend school looking like that. One of them reminded him of Kunzite, and made the Earth lord a little nervous, and all of them were quite difficult with rehearsals.

Checking himself in the mirror, Adrian combed his hair and put on some makeup to cover the scar on his face. It had faded during his stay in that cozy room, apparently. It had long since healed, but there was still a mark. Maybe that was part of his toll. Tuxedo Mask – Prince Endymion – had given it to the Earth lord just before the 'Moon Princess', Serenity, was revealed to be Sailor Moon herself.

The scar on his cheek was nothing, however, compared to the stab-wounds which permanently marred his once-flawless belly.

While he was Lord Zoisite, Adrian had foolishly tried to kill Tuxedo Mask, and paid dearly for it, but not as dearly as Jadeite. Despite his ingratiating attitude toward Beryl, Jadeite always had a dismissive attitude toward females. Adrian wondered why Beryl was so merciful to him, as she could have easily given him the curse of eternal sleep as well. He had gotten off lightly, despite being mortally wounded. It was the gentlest punishment Adrian could have imagined, letting him drift off to what he thought would be an eternal, peaceful sleep cradled in Kunzite's arms.

After leaving the dark place, Adrian would often have dreams of leaping into Kunzite's tight embrace and being drenched in his tender kisses, while laughing and crying at the same time. Would this still happen? Would Kunzite still love him despite his ugly body? Even now, he still would have that dream amidst the nightmares of his attack, and hoped the meeting would be as joyous in real life.

The honk of a limousine's horn woke Adrian from his reverie. He headed out to the car, grabbing a couple butterscotch boiled sweets on the way.

* * *

"Zoisite..." Habib whispered, listening to the snippet of a melody on the radio.

From what he heard, a young man named Adrian Kirsch was going to play piano at a concert for the Three Lights. They sounded like the average pop-group, but Habib knew he had to go, despite his aversion to crowds and the media attention he would get.

* * *

The man at the ticket-booth was quite surprised to see the reclusive Habib Jabir buying a ticket from his kiosk, and of course asked for an autograph.

"Could you make a donation to my Xeroderma Pigmentosum Research Center?" Habib asked him, managing to hide his annoyance.

"Of course," the young man replied, hurriedly digging into his pocket and scrawling out a cheque.

After he paid for the ticket and was handed the cheque, Habib looked at it in amazement.

"This..." he began.

"I know it's not much," the man replied, "My cousin has Xeroderma Pigmentosum, and it really means a lot to me that someone is trying to find a cure."

Cracking a soft smile, Habib handed the cheque back to the man.

"You probably need that money more."

"No no," the man laughed, "You keep it. I'm not that hard off. Been watchin' the news an' all, ya know?"

Habib nodded, remembering all the rescues he had pulled off.

"Thank you," he said, "I think you will have some good luck soon."

Turning away, the Earth lord made a covert sweeping gesture. He had started the research center mainly to serve as a front for returning to Japan, but a donation this large from someone who was obviously surviving on microwave noodles in order to make ends meet moved him. Habib still didn't know why he was doing things like this. Was it from the time he spent in the spirit world? Did Serenity heal his broken, dead heart?

Maybe this was part of his mission – bringing light to the world after bringing so much darkness.

Holding the cheque carefully, Habib made his way to the auditorium. His seat was near the left, away from the celebrities and the front row, as the Earth lord didn't want to draw so much attention to himself. Any hope of enjoying some peace was shattered, however, by a couple little kids who kept on asking their father why that man was wearing those dark clothes and sunglasses. True, he only needed them outside, but the idea of taking them off around so many people made Habib extremely uncomfortable.

The vamp music was intolerable as well. Habib sighed in relief after it stopped and three people who looked like teenage boys or girls stepped onto the stage. Another figure walked slowly and gracefully over to a large, elaborate piano and sat down. The big screen behind the stage focused on his delicate fingers, which caressed the keys, playing a beautiful melody. Then the boys... or girls... began to sing.

Despite his aversion to popular music, the Earth lord couldn't deny that this was the most beautiful music he had ever heard. Closing his eyes, Habib saw a shower of cherry blossom petals, and heard a familiar voice speak.

"Kunzite... Master Kunzite..."

"Zoisite," the silver-haired man whispered, hypnotised by the piano and electric guitar.

* * *

Adrian felt slightly weaker than usual, putting so much energy into his music. Did Kunzite hear it? He knew they would have to meet soon, but the sandy-blond Earth lord was beginning to have some doubts. His fingers were also tingling a little, which alarmed him. Adrian was certain that he had checked his blood sugar before the concert, but he would probably have to double-check.

A gentle warmth filled his heart, and the young man could feel someone's hands brushing lightly against his own. Adrian could see in his mind a silhouette of a man, one who wore a top-hat and a cape. His hair, long and straight, blew in the wind, and the hat flew off.

As they played the final song, it was Adrian's turn for a short solo, something he had asked to do. The Three Lights did object, but were duly impressed with his voice – not to mention his unbelievable talent and beauty. Taking a quick breath, Adrian bore his soul, hoping to reach out, hoping that the search for his love would be over soon.

* * *

Habib nearly cried out for joy as he heard the soft, breathy voice of the pianist.

"Zoisite... is it you?" he gasped, tears rolling down his cheeks.

When the set was over, the silver-haired Earth lord just sat there for a few moments, pondering what he should do. He disliked the idea of using his status to get backstage, but with the security in place, it would likely be his only option.

"Look," the security guard said, "I can make an appointment for you if you wish, but right now Adrian is not feeling well."

"I need to speak with him," Habib pleaded, "Please, it is very important!"

"Adrian needs his rest for tonight's encore performance," another guard explained, "He has a severe medical condition."

Sighing, Habib walked away. Using force would be no good – he would have to wait for another concert. Then he heard Serenity's voice again:

"Go to the cherry tree across the street."

* * *

Adrian had heard some commotion outside his trailer. One of the voices sounded quite familiar, and it piqued his interest. However, the guards were not about to let him mill about with the others and potentially ruin his health. Arguing was useless, but he did have another idea.

Opening the door, he strutted down the steps.

"Adrian," one of the guards said, "You mustn't exert yourself – wait for the rehearsal tonight!"

"I feel just fine!" Adrian snapped, hoping they would swallow his lie, "However, I would feel quite a bit better outside, away from that smell! Did the cleanup crew even touch my trailer? I am quite surprised it hasn't aggravated my asthma. Do I have to cancel the next concert for health reasons, or will you get someone to take care of this, and promptly?"

The sandy-blond Earth lord felt a little weak from his outburst, and there was a slight pain in his chest. Giving the rather overprotective guards an irritated look, he reached inside his pocket for one of the meds and popped a couple pills in his mouth.

"If anything is going to make me ill," he continued, "It is the incompetence of the management at this venue. Now if you do not mind, I will be taking my leave."

With that, he walked away from the exasperated security guards, with a touch of spring in his step. Usually he liked getting attention, but this time, Adrian just wanted a break from all the coddling and the exasperatingly difficult idol singers. The concert had gone on well enough – the crowd was cheering of course, but the lead singer just seemed to be rather distant. Practice had taken much longer than it should have, and he felt that the only reason things didn't degenerate into an all-out shouting match was that everyone present pitied him.

If a genius needed pity, it was for the headaches he endured from idiots.

* * *

Adrian pushed his way through the crowd, trying to disappear. There was a blossoming cherry tree across the street, and a tall, familiar-looking man in sunglasses stood under it, looking very lost. His skin was tan, but his hair was uncharacteristically light. Was he a reporter or one of those photographers who were always trying to catch celebrities in a scandal?

Walking up to the man, Adrian cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

"So," he began, "Come to take my picture? Then bring out that camera, and make sure you capture my best side."

The stranger gave a chuckle.

"I know your best side."

"Wait," Adrian gasped, "Your voice... it sounds familiar... but... but you couldn't be him."

"Why?"

"Because my Master Kunzite would not look so utterly ridiculous!" Adrian snorted, "And what happened to your face?"

"It is from my toll," the man replied, taking a step toward him.

"Your toll is freckles?" Adrian laughed, "A likely story."

"Zoisite, do you remember all those times I held you when you cried for your mother? Remember when Queen Beryl cursed Jadeite to an eternal restless sleep, or when we plotted against Nephrite?"

"Zoisite..." Adrian gasped, "It has been so long since I had gone by that name. Was it you? Were you the one standing behind me while I played?"

"What?"

"I could feel you placing your hands on mine!" Adrian explained, "It gave me the strength to play my song. But Master Kunzite... could you show me your eyes, please?"

Nodding, the man took off his sunglasses and pocketed them, showing the cold, yet gentle, eyes of Kunzite.

"It is you!" Adrian shouted, unable to contain his joy.

He practically leaped into the tight embrace of his beloved, who showered him with petal-soft kisses.

"Oh Kunzite," the slight, sandy-blond Earth lord whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks, "I love you. I love you so much, dear, dear Kunzite."

Habib felt so giddy that he swept the young man off his feet, swinging him around and peppering his lovely face with kiss after kiss. All the waiting and hardships were worth this moment.

"I wish this could last forever, my love," he said as his lips drew closer to Adrian's.

The younger man parted his lips and they shared a long, tender kiss. His body began to tremble, and he didn't know if it was from the sheer joy of the moment, or from his condition, though the frail Earth lord didn't care at this point.

"Oh Master Kunzite," he whispered, "Please kiss me again."

Habib was glad to oblige, and kissed the young man deeply, caressing his soft lips and tongue. He noticed that Zoisite's entire body was trembling, so the older Earth lord broke the kiss abruptly.

"Please forgive me, Zoisite," he said, deep concern in his voice, "But you are trembling... are you alright?"

Breathing shallowly, Adrian reached in his pocket and took out a device, which he held to his finger. Wincing, the younger Earth lord pulled it away and then dispensed a small strip of paper from the end of the thing he was holding, and held it to his bleeding finger. Then, he placed the blood-stained paper into the strange device. Nodding, Adrian again reached for something in his other pocket, and took out a butterscotch, which he unwrapped and popped into his mouth.

"Insulin reaction," Adrian replied, sucking and biting the sweet,"It's probably from the performance... and from us prancing around like fools. Nothing to worry about."

"Y-your toll?" Kunzite asked, looking worried and sad.

"Yeah," Zoisite grumbled dismissively, "Bad heart too. And of course some other problems. Doctors say I could die any time, or some shit like that. Well, I've survived this long, and we need to find Nephrite. I wonder what Serenity has to say about that."

The slight, young man let out a surprisingly loud yawn, then plopped down under the tree. Kunzite sat down next to him, placing a protective arm around his beloved comrade. Zoisite, once blushing with health and vigor, was now extremely thin and sickly, his skin pale and deathly white. He had changed somewhat, becoming a little more patient and far less cruel, but the old Zoisite still showed through as the younger Earth lord melted into Kunzite's lap.

"Pff... this toll is a pain in the ass," Zoisite sighed, "Could be worse though. I wonder... am I still prettier than those damn pop-singers?"

"Of course you are," Kunzite chuckled, "You know that no flower could ever compare to your beauty."

Zoisite yawned again, then closed his eyes and sighed as Kunzite stroked his hand. A few cherry blossom petals fluttered down onto his face, tickling his nose and making him smile at the memory of Kunzite's last gift to him.

Kunzite watched as his lover slept, patting and stroking the frail man's hand whenever he stirred and whimpered in his sleep.

"Shh...shh... it's alright, dear one," the silver-haired Earth lord whispered, "I'm here. Nothing will harm you."

Zoisite stirred again, then jerked awake with an expression of horror on his face.

"Zoisite, what happened?" an alarmed Kunzite asked.

"It was... a nightmare," the young Earth lord replied, panting from the scare, "Nothing too horrible."

Kunzite wrapped his arms around his young lover and drew him into another tight hug. Zoisite rested his head against the older Earth lord's chest, trembling a little but calming down after a couple minutes. It was all Kunzite could do to not cry. He kissed Zoisite on the forehead and rocked him gently, trying to lull his beloved back to sleep. Zoisite reached up and kissed Kunzite on the jaw, and sighed contentedly as the strong man responded by squeezing him lovingly.

Zoisite closed his eyes again, whispering, "Thank you," before falling asleep again to the sound of Kunzite's heartbeat.

As the young man fell asleep, a tear rolled down his cheek. Kunzite kissed it away and shed one of his own.

For the next couple of hours, Zoisite slept a little more peacefully, while Kunzite occasionally sang a soft, off-key nursery rhyme, half of which he had forgotten. He was never great at singing, but from the way his lover responded, it didn't matter.

* * *

"Hey Adrian! We were looking for you!"

The teenager's voice startled Kunzite and woke Zoisite from his nap.

"Wh-what is it?" a very annoyed Zoisite yawned, rubbing his eyes.

Kunzite looked up to see the performers he recognised as the "Three Lights" standing over them.

"Well," the one in red replied, "There was something we wanted to discuss, but you weren't in your trailer, and the security guards said you just took off, complaining about a bad smell or something."

"Hmm," a disinterested Zoisite grunted, stretching a little and turning to look at the singers, "So, what was so important?"

"They loved the performance!" the boy in red explained, "I wanted to thank you – the changes you proposed were just what this concert needed."

"Well," Zoisite laughed, "You woke me from a sound sleep to tell me something I already know?"

"Not much for modesty, is he?" the tall, brown-haired singer mumbled to the shorter, silver-haired one, who shook his head in agreement.

"So we hope to do another set with you soon," the lead-singer continued, "I think with what you taught us, our message will definitely be heard."

* * *

Later that night, after the encore performance, Zoisite took Kunzite to his place, a cottage on the outskirts of town. Several hydrangea plants in bloom framed the front of the house, which looked rather fancy with its white stucco, and elegant doors and windows.

"It suits you," Kunzite noted.

The inside was quite luxurious, decorated with paintings and sculptures. The kitchen had a table with six exquisitely-made chairs, while the parlour was furnished with a decadently-soft off-white sofa and a green livingchair in front of a fireplace, and of course, a piano next to a bookshelf filled with novels and sheet music.

"I have some more instruments in my study," Zoisite explained, "Though first, I think we should get some sleep."

Kunzite was glad to be able to take off his protective clothing and glasses. He waited while Zoisite changed and took a quick shower, then came in wearing nightclothes made of soft, dark green silk which made his stark white skin look even whiter. This, and the many bottles of medications which littered the room, were reminders of Zoisite's toll.

The sandy-blond Earth-lord joined Kunzite, who was sitting on the luxuriously soft double bed, and leaned against him. The dark pyjamas hung against his body like a sack, making him look incredibly fragile. Kunzite, however, knew that Zoisite was not made of glass even if his body seemed to be.

The older Earth lord reached for one of the black buttons on Zoisite's nightshirt and began to slowly unbutton it. Zoisite gently nudged his hand away.

"S-sorry... I..." he began.

"No," Kunzite whispered, taking Zoisite's hand in his, "You did nothing wrong."

Smiling wistfully, Zoisite snuggled into Kunzite's arms and drifted off to sleep, feeling happier than he had felt in a long time despite the bittersweet reunion.

* * *

Later, as they both lay under the soft white covers, the silver-haired Earth lord watched as his lover slept and listened to his breathing. Sometimes Zoisite would let out a soft cry, and Kunzite patted and stroked his head, trying to comfort the young man and help him chase away whatever monsters were disturbing his sleep.

At one point, he could hear Zoisite mumble, "Ugly... I'm... ugly..."

"No," Kunzite whispered, "You are beautiful."

He gave the young man a tender kiss on the forehead, before succumbing to sleep as well.


	5. Chapter 5

For the next few months, Kunzite and Zoisite went about their civilian lives. Zoisite, using the assumed identity of Adrian Kirsch, would often perform concerts for various charities. His savings were such that he and Kunzite were able to live together. Kunzite had moved out of his cramped apartment, and the windows on the house were fitted with a special tinted glass which kept the harmful ultraviolet rays out.

Kunzite, of course, would sometimes indulge in some sunshine, walking through the garden with Zoisite and sitting with him in the shade, and occasionally engaging in some light petting. Zoisite still didn't want to be seen naked, and he would often have nightmares. Kunzite would try to comfort him, but would never pry, despite desperately wanting to know what had happened.

"I'm so sorry, Master Kunzite," Zoisite sighed after waking from one of his night terrors.

"You don't need to be sorry," Kunzite insisted, "You are strong, you know."

"Me? Strong?" Zoisite chuckled, "Heh... no."

"You are," Kunzite whispered, kissing Zoisite's trembling hand.

The silver-haired man got up and went to the kitchen. He came back with a small glass of juice and a couple small rice biscuits, which he offered to Zoisite. The sandy-blond Earth lord accepted the small midnight snack, as he was having an insulin reaction again. The stress of those bad dreams and his busy schedule contributed to it, and low blood sugar was just as bad as high blood sugar.

"You should take it easy for awhile," Kunzite suggested.

"I can't," Zoisite replied, munching on one of the biscuits, "I would go crazy."

"But you need to relax. I-I don't... want to... lose you again."

Kunzite's voice cracked as he said those words. After that night when Zoisite was ripped away from him, the eldest of the Earth lords had died inside.

"I know," Zoisite laughed, "It's just so hard being a genius sometimes."

He ate the other biscuit and washed it down with the melon-apple juice, then cuddled up to Kunzite, who wrapped him up in a warm hug.

"Master Kunzite," Zoisite whispered, "I probably won't be able to enjoy it as much as you, but tonight I am in the mood for some 'fun'. Could you..."

"Of course," Kunzite obliged, cracking a smile and kissing his lover on the forehead.

It wasn't much, but both enjoyed just being so close to each other. Even though Zoisite's condition made it hard to 'please' him, it was clear that the young Earth lord just wanted to be held and loved by the one he trusted the most.

After they were finished, the two relaxed, kissing and squeezing each other gently.

"You know," Zoisite whispered, "You have never once asked me about my nightmares."

Kunzite nodded.

"I know something terrible happened to you," he replied, "Serenity told me."

"Sh-she did?"

Kunzite nodded again.

"Wh-what did she tell you?"

"Nothing more. She only told me to listen, and that it was not your fault."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know what to say," Kunzite replied.

"You were always best at listening," Zoisite chuckled, his anger subsiding, "So patient while I whined to you about not being assigned to replace Nephrite. Thank you, Master Kunzite."

"I would give you anything," the elder Earth lord whispered, kissing Zoisite's hand.

"Would you?" Zoisite asked, halting a little, "Even if... I was... ugly?"

"You could never be ugly," Kunzite reassured him, stroking his fine, wispy curls, "I will always love you, and you will always be beautiful."

Zoisite took Kunzite's hand and guided it under his nightshirt. Kunzite gasped as his fingers ran over several jagged depressions – scars – on Zoisite's abdomen and chest.

"I had... many operations," Zoisite explained, feeling guilty for only giving half of the truth, "They made me... ugly."

"No," Kunzite whispered, gently lifting up the nightshirt and shifting to straddle Zoisite's pale body, "You are not ugly, Zoisite, you are not ugly."

With that, he bent down and kissed one of the scars, then nuzzled Zoisite's belly and kissed his navel. Zoisite sighed at Kunzite's gentle touch. Kunzite conjured a red rose in full bloom, and placed it in Zoisite's hand.

"The beauty of this rose could never compare to yours, Zoisite."

The young Earth lord smiled more brightly than he had in a long time. He held the rose to his face, and took in its sweet smell, before setting it aside on his nightstand. Kunzite pulled the shirt up further and looked at Zoisite's frail, slight chest, then made another rose appear out of thin air. He brushed the light pink rose against Zoisite's belly, knocking several petals loose and working his way up to the scar on his lover's chest.

It was obviously from heart surgery. Zoisite had gone through so much, yet there was something he was hiding still, something so painful he couldn't speak about it.

Kunzite buried his face into Zoisite's abdomen, exhaling softly and and eliciting a sigh of ecstasy from his frail lover. Brushing his lips against the scar-ravaged skin, he gave another gentle kiss, and Zoisite let out a soft gasp. The young Earth lord's legs jerked forward reflexively, wrapping around Kunzite's waist.

Working up to Zoisite's chest, Kunzite peppered the scar with more sweet kisses, then slowly pulled the pyjama top off. There Zoisite lay, so vulnerable and bare, but with the loveliest smile on his face. His clear emerald eyes showed a gleam of mischief. Reaching down where the top had fallen, Zoisite picked it up, giving a wicked ear-to-ear grin.

* * *

A couple minutes later, Kunzite was lying on the bed, his hands bound with a sheet and his mouth gagged with the pyjama top. A handkerchief was tied around his eyes, blinding him in the dim light. Delicate hands caressed his face and ran down his neck to his belly and sides, and the silver-haired Earth lord struggled against his bonds, letting out fits of giggles through the improvised gag.

Zoisite's face nuzzled against Kunzite's feet, and his lips brushed against them, kissing each toe. Then the younger lord's arms wrapped around Kunzite in a soft embrace. The silver-haired Earth lord let out what could have been a sigh of bliss, one that was muffled by the cloth stuffed in his mouth.

With the blindfold covering his eyes, Kunzite could feel everything with greater acuity, from the caresses to every petal-soft kiss, to his warm embrace. Zoisite's hair brushed against the older Earth-Lord's nose, tickling it while the young man kissed him again and again.

"Oh Kunzite," Zoisite purred, "You seem to be enjoying this a lot."

Kunzite felt Zoisite reaching behind his head and soon, the gag loosened and was pulled off.

"Z-zoisite-" the older Earth lord began, only to be silenced by a finger lightly pressed on his lips.

"There's a reason I took it off," Zoisite chuckled, "And it was not to allow you to speak."

Kunzite felt Zoisite pulling him close, stroking his long, flowing hair. Parting his lips again to sigh in contentment, he was interrupted by a passionate, hungry kiss from his young lover. The silver-haired Earth lord wanted to hold Zoisite and stroke his hair, but the sheet held his hands tight and the kiss effectively gagged him.

Zoisite followed the kiss with several light, tender ones, brushing his lips against Kunzite's and even kissing his chin and jaw. This was the Zoisite Kunzite had known, the one that the others in the Dark Kingdom didn't see, and tonight, he was even more beautiful. No scars or illness could ever change that.

Then, Kunzite felt Zoisite's hands caressing and squeezing his own, and he squeezed back, wishing to embrace his lover. Instead, the young Earth lord wrapped his arms around the stoic, silver-haired man again, stroking his back and shoulders, and keeping him silent with another long, sweet kiss. He reached down, untying the sheets and freeing Kunzite's hands, guiding them to his chest and stomach, then to his face.

The older Earth lord sighed happily, taking in the magnified sensations, from Zoisite's wispy fringe, to his soft eyebrows and delicate, long eyelashes. Another kiss brushed against his lower lip, and Zoisite drew him closer, cradling him against his slight chest. Kunzite finally wrapped his arms around his lover.

* * *

The next morning, Kunzite woke up resting on Zoisite's shoulder. No one could bring the stoic lord to his knees like Zoisite did that night. What had followed after his blindfold was removed was so incredible, so wonderful – it was worth everything. Even if Zoisite wasn't physically 'in the mood', he definitely enjoyed it.

There would be work that needed to be done, as always, but for now, the silver-haired Earth lord just lay awake, watching his lover sleep. Zoisite had shown him the physical scars that night, but seemed to be hiding some very deep emotional ones. Gently tracing the scar on the young man's chest, Kunzite wished he could heal the many scars in his heart. All he could do right now was listen.

Sunlight shone through the windows, which filtered out the rays so it would pose little if any danger to the silver-haired man. It wouldn't immediately cause any burns, but any unprotected exposure that lasted longer than a few minutes would be quite bad, not only for his complexion but for his health. Those who had xeroderma pigmentosum were more suseptible to cancer, so Kunzite had to be careful and wear lots of strong sunscreen when going outside, along with clothes which covered most of his body, and a wide-brimmed hat and dark sunglasses. It made him look a little suspicious, but people who knew about his condition and the organization he founded understood his need for so much clothing. Kunzite would have felt like a vampire if the sight of blood didn't make him so ill.

This aspect of the toll was rather disheartening. It did give him a reason to stay indoors, away from people, but also made the Earth lord stand out. People would stare, and many who knew about his condition would often show pity or other forms of condescension. Kunzite didn't feel special, aside from his powers, and the stares and wide berths he would get while shopping made him extremely uncomfortable. He was always glad to return home and be either alone or with Zoisite. Zoisite and a few acquaintances were the only ones who treated Kunzite like a human – no "I'm sorry about that" or questions of how difficult his life was, as it was probably no harder than that of the average person.

Zoisite also had problems with being treated like an invalid, and hated being coddled by well-meaning doctors. He had several problems, namely diabetes and a heart condition, but never let them keep him down or away from his passion of music. They did make his body extremely weak, necessitating lots of medications, rest and a special diet, though occasionally he did cheat and have a bite or two of cake or share a truffle with Kunzite. His asthma meant that air-fresheners were mostly a no-go, and he also had some issues with his intestines which made for some embarrassing bathroom emergencies, especially if he ate anything containing wheat, rye or barley. People would feel so sorry for Zoisite, but then get incredibly indignant when he told them off.

Maybe it was human nature to treat people with disabilities that way. It was, however, decidedly unwelcome.

Zoisite stirred and shifted a little, and Kunzite brushed his lips against the delicate-looking young man's jaw. The sandy-blond Earth lord smiled, letting out a sigh of contentment. Every kiss was precious, as was every moment they spent together, since both had conditions that shortened their life-expectancies. Kunzite reached over and turned Zoisite's face toward his, planting a light kiss on his lips.

"Master Kunzite..." Zoisite whispered, returning the kiss.

* * *

When they were both fully-awake, Zoisite checked his blood sugar and took some of his medications. Then the two Earth lords took a bath together, which resulted in some petting, making the usually-pale Zoisite blush. After the bath, Zoisite gave himself a shot of insulin and started fixing breakfast. He had some interesting recipes, ones which called for a lot of vegetables and fruits, so their meals were never bland.

While he waited for breakfast, Kunzite brewed some coffee – regular for himself and decaf for Zoisite. When the coffee was done, he got out some milk. Zoisite liked his coffee black, but Kunzite preferred mixing in a generous amount of cream to the point that it tasted like one of those fancy drinks from the café.

The sound of birds chirping reached his ears, and the silver-haired Earth lord cracked a smile. He loved that soft music almost as much as Zoisite's compositions. Birds made such quiet, peaceful neighbours. Zoisite had talked of getting some birds for the house – exotic ones like a cockatoo – but Kunzite had some doubts about that since cockatoos were known for being quite loud and noisy, not to mention messy and destructive, and sometimes even dangerous. Looking at some pictures, he did understand why Zoisite wanted one of those birds; they were so colourful and affectionate, some of them white with yellow crests, and others with pink, fluffy feathers. One of the smaller parrots like lovebirds, budgies or cockatiels would be welcome, however.

Breakfast was rice with stir-fried bean pods and other vegetables which were flavoured with spices and a little soy sauce. Zoisite had also chopped a melon and some strawberries to add some sweetness to the meal.

"So, another interview today?" Zoisite chuckled.

"Their interest has sort of died down," Kunzite replied, taking a bite of melon, "I do have a few appointments with some children at the office. Mostly family counseling, and working with this foundation that grants wishes to sick children."

"Hmm," Zoisite smiled, "Spreading some light in this world?"

"I guess."

"Well, making people happy can be a full-time job. Very low pay, but it beats working for someone who has the power of life or death over you, doesn't it?"

Kunzite nodded.

Zoisite started on his rice and vegetables, using chopsticks which Kunzite had yet to master.

"Speaking of our old job and enemies," Kunzite began, taking a sip of his coffee, "Sailor Moon has been sighted quite a few times. Perhaps we should look into this."

"Enemies," Zoisite sighed, "I doubt they will accept us after what we did. So, how did you die?"

Kunzite looked down at his coffee.

"Sailor Moon..." he mumbled.

"Not the most romantic way to die," Zoisite noted with a smile.

"It could have been worse," Kunzite replied, taking another sip of coffee.

"Hmm... did you ever notice the bond between them? Almost like a family. We, on the other hand... we were so divided."

Kunzite nodded.

"If you hadn't comforted me after I was taken," Zoisite continued, "I would have probably been your rival as well. Remember that night when I was crying and you let me sleep in your bed?"

The silver-haired Earth lord nodded and smiled at the memory.

"I thought you were going to yell at me the next morning, when I woke up and found that I had wet the bed," Zoisite laughed, "But you had wet it too. We both got scolded by one of Beryl's youma."

"Well," Kunzite replied, cracking a smile, "I did not wet the bed in my sleep."

Zoisite looked up at his lover, a shocked look on his face.

"You-you mean that..."

The older man nodded again, smiling more broadly, and Zoisite let out a loud guffaw.

"I did wonder why you wet the bed so much at that age."

"I had for a long time," Kunzite replied, "I was taken from my parents when I was just five years old – away from everything I knew and held dear. When you came, I was so happy just to have a friend."

"I used to cry and cry," Zoisite noted, taking a sip of coffee, "I'm so embarrassed now... crying for my mummy and daddy, for my teddy..."

He winced at the memory. Kunzite reached across the table and took Zoisite's hand in his.

"Zoisite," the silver-haired Earth lord whispered, "I cried too."

"But... but I never saw you cry," Zoisite stammered.

"I learned not to," Kunzite replied, "It never did me any good."

Zoisite looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh.

"I thought it was normal. I thought all children went through this kind of training... that love was nothing but a feeling."

Kunzite shook his head.

"It wasn't."

* * *

"It's rather strange," Zoisite confessed as he and Kunzite walked down the street, "Ever since I was resurrected, I've been watching people, seeing children being treated with such love and care. Then I hear about some children being 'abused', and it just sounds so much like the way Beryl and her youma treated us."

Kunzite squeezed Zoisite's hand in response, and looked as though he were about to cry. The young Earth lord squeezed back, trying to comfort his stoic lover. Besides work, they had another pressing matter.

"Well, they say one must move on and not dwell too much on the past," Zoisite sighed, "We must find Nephrite and bring back Jadeite. It will be quite interesting."

Suddenly, they heard a commotion in the crowd, and saw a woman in a cat costume chasing after someone, a celebrity whose name escaped both Earth lords. They followed the strange fashion-victim and saw three women sporting the same hairstyles as the Three Lights confront her. Their costumes were quite skimpy, though they resembled sailor fuku. The cat woman's dress also looked vaguely like a sailor fuku, but it was decorated with bells, and she wore a hat that looked like cat-ears, and her long, black braids were tied together.

Then, a familiar-looking man ran out, throwing a flower at her. He was wearing a tuxedo and a top-hat, but his hair was long and wavy.

"P-prince Endymion?" The two Earth lords whispered in unison.

They came in closer to get a better look at the mysterious man in the tuxedo. He threw another flower, blinding the cat woman, who dodged and knocked him off his feet with a swift kick. The man fell with a grunt, and a telephone booth rose out of the pavement next to the sailor-cat, who rushed into it, slamming the door closed. As she did, the booth sank back in and disappeared.

The three strange senshi ran off before Kunzite or Zoisite could get close enough to speak to them. The mysterious tuxed-clad man, however, was in the middle of righting himself. Looking down, he slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Shit," he cursed, "Of all the times to forget that!"

"Nephrite?" Zoisite gasped, huddling close to Kunzite.

The older Earth lord patted his young lover on the arm reassuringly, while the masked tuxedo guardian looked over at Zoisite and lowered his eyebrows.

"So," the auburn-haired man noted, looking as though he had been walked in on while taking care of something private, "We finally meet... again."

Zoisite nodded, looking very unsure of himself.

"Well I'm sorry but I must cut this reunion short," Nephrite continued, turning to leave.

The young Earth lord grabbed Nephrite's arm, only to be pushed away.

"I will talk with you later, Zoisite!" the tuxedo guardian shouted, running away.

"Nephrite!" Zoisite called, in vain.

He turned to Kunzite and asked, "Should we go after him?"

Kunzite shook his head silently. The younger Earth lord sighed and looked at the ground, noticing a small puddle on the ground.

"Hmph," Zoisite remarked, "Looks like someone couldn't hold it. How disgusting!"

* * *

That night, over dinner, the two Earth lords discussed meeting the revived Nephrite.

"I wonder if he is staying in his old place," Zoisite wondered, "It did suit him quite well. Maybe he's still looking at the stars, and worrying about that girl who swooned over him."

"It is possible," Kunzite replied, taking a long drink of hot milk, "That house was his base of operations, after all."

Zoisite nodded.

"Do you think he will ever forgive me for what I did?"

"Why do you worry so, dear one?" Kunzite asked.

"I honestly don't know," Zoisite sighed, "But something happened to me in that dark place... and that cozy room. It... it felt so horrible to be all alone, starving, thirsty, tired. When I was rescued, it just felt so good to be held and cared for."

"I know that feeling."

"And the mother of our enemy helped us both. She didn't even have to!" Zoisite added, "She could have left us to wither away to nothing in the dark place. Why did she help us?"

"It's something I myself am only beginning to understand," Kunzite replied, "It is perhaps... mercy... maybe another kind of love."

"I hope that Nephrite will find that kind of love in his heart."

"He will," Kunzite reassured his lover, "I know he will."


	6. Chapter 6

Masato wheeled himself out of the mansion over to his red sports car. It had been recently adapted for disabled drivers, and he had just gotten his license renewed, along with the wheelchair placard.

With some effort, Masato transferred himself out of the chair and into the driver's seat. Reaching over to the small push-wheelchair, he detatched the wheels one at a time and stowed them in the back seat. The therapy did pay off, enabling the auburn-haired Earth lord to do almost everything people with full-use of their bodies could.

Closing the car door wasn't much of a problem, as Masato did have some use of his fingers. There was some feeling regained below the lesion, mostly pressure, which aided the transfers greatly.

For the car, he had a handle on the steering wheel and special manual controls for the break and accelerator pedals. The ignition had a lever attached to it so he could turn the key with greater ease. In a pinch he could do it the usual way, but Masato still had trouble with his grip. At least the numbness in his hands subsided to a degree since that first night.

The auburn-haired Earth lord started up the car and pulled out of the driveway, turning on the radio to listen to the news. Several things were making him quite antsy – the mental breakdown of his first therapist, new evil 'sailors', the short reunion with his old co-workers – but it was nothing compared to this new organization called the 'Happy Hub'. Naru had somehow gotten involved in it; that much he knew, and it worried Masato to no end. There were other responsibilities, however.

Masato had founded a center which specialized in mobility and occupational therapy for people with spinal cord injuries and other disorders which affected their ability to move. So many people viewed those with disabilities like his own as helpless despite the fact that they could do most of the things people with full use of their bodies could do. Masato could bathe himself just fine, for example – all he needed was a specially-designed shower and tub with a transfer-bar.

He drove to a tall building surrounded by flowers and maple trees, and made his way to the parking garage. Transferring to his wheelchair, Masato wheeled himself up the ramp to his office. He would be meeting with a new patient, a teenage boy who had recently been injured in a fall.

When he arrived, the family was waiting in the lobby. Their son was sulking in his wheelchair, listening to a CD player and looking like he wanted to be anywhere except this place. That look was becoming familiar, since people who needed wheelchairs often were seen as unable to do anything, and the loss of feeling was incredibly disheartening. Masato knew that all too well, and wanted to help others come to terms with this change.

"So, is this the Takashi family?" he asked, taking out a business card and presenting it to the father.

"Yes," the man replied, taking the card and reading it, "Sanjouin Masato?"

The auburn-haired Earth lord nodded, reaching out to shake the father's hand. The boy's father hesitated a little, not knowing how to react.

"Don't worry," Masato laughed, "I promise I won't steal your life energy... much."

Chuckling nervously, the man took Masato's hand and shook it.

"Well now," the Earth lord said as he turned to face the boy, "Yoshi? Welcome to the Sanjouin Rehabilitation Center. I'm Sanjouin Masato."

"Go away," the boy mumbled.

"I know how you feel right now," Masato explained, "I went through this as well – being so wrapped up in what I can't do. That is the point of this center; to teach people to overcome their challenges and focus on what they CAN do."

"Go away," Yoshi repeated, turning his chair so he faced away from Masato.

"I thought he would respond better to you," the father sighed, shaking his head.

"We all need time to adjust," Masato replied, "Being suddenly robbed of so much is very hard, and it will take awhile before Yoshi is finished grieving. I know I can help him – haven't lost a patient yet!"

He glanced over at the sullen boy, who was still listening to his music and trying to drown out the world.

"Though we do need to take some drastic measures," the auburn-haired Earth lord continued, giving the parents a sly grin.

Masato pushed himself off the seat of his wheelchair, then carefully worked his way down to the floor. He got into a sitting position, using his head and arms for balance, and then scooted backward to where the boy was. He would pull his legs toward himself, then push himself away, until finally he was right next to the chair. Then Masato looked up at the parents, who were staring as though he had just grown a pair of antlers.

"What?" the Earth lord chuckled, "You look like you've never seen a man get out of his wheelchair before!"

"Well, what are you trying to do, Mr. Sanjouin?" the mother asked.

"This," Masato replied, reaching up and grabbing the CD player and pulling it out of the boy's lap.

The player disconnected from the headphones and fell to the floor. Yoshi, robbed of his entertainment and shelter from the world, yelled "Hey! Give that back!".

Grabbing the player, Masato placed it in his mouth and scooted his way to the other side of the lobby to a nearby seat, ignoring the protests of Yoshi and his parents.

"Give it back!" the boy yelled, moving his wheelchair toward the thief.

"Mr. Masato!" the father pleaded, "Just give him his CD player!"

Masato just watched as the very angry Yoshi approached. He pulled his legs close and held one against the chair and the other he held in place with his chin. Reaching up to the seat, Masato braced himself on the floor and then pushed his body up into the lobby chair, then took the CD player out of his mouth and nonchalantly picked up a magazine, which he began to read.

"Give it BACK! NOW!" Yoshi demanded, trying to ram his wheelchair into the seat, an action which was fortunately thwarted by his mother.

"Mr. Sanjouin," the mother asked, incredulous at the man's apparent callousness, "Why are you doing this? What do you hope to accomplish?"

Masato just read through the rather boring magazine, pretending not to hear, and stowed the CD player under his legs.

"We brought Yoshi here to be helped, not to have some weirdo upset him!" the father yelled.

"Upset him?" Masato asked, looking very annoyed, "Why? Is he made of glass? Will getting him a little angry and upset kill him?"

"Please, Mr. Sanjouin," the mother begged, "Our son has been injured and the doctors said he will never walk again. Don't be so mean to him!"

Masato lowered his magazine and gave her a look like that of a sensei whose student was getting close to solving a riddle.

"Do you notice something?" he asked.

"Notice?" the mother asked, a little offended, "All I notice right now is someone is being a bully to my son! Now stop it or we will cancel the whole thing!"

"My point is," Masato explained, "Do you know that I'm a quadriplegic?"

"Well... yes..." both parents replied, puzzled at his question.

The auburn-haired Earth lord put down the magazine and showed them his hands, flexing his fingers as best as he could.

"My fingers have limited movement," Masato continued, "Though I am learning to move them better since my injury is so low. I still have trouble sitting up because I have no control in my abdomen – I have to rely on balance. "

They were all at loss for words.

"What did you see?" Masato asked, "How did you see me?"

"You're a jerk!" Yoshi replied, eliciting a chuckle from the long-haired man.

"A jerk, yes," Masato added, "But also a person. You didn't see my disability. You saw someone who was being a jerk!"

"I can understand that Yoshi-chan needs to listen, but-" the mother began, only to be interrupted by her son yelling "MOM!" in frustration.

"Please," Masato requested, "Let your son speak for himself. We are disabled, not helpless."

"Heh, right," Yoshi grumbled, "Easy for you to say!"

The Earth-lord's expression softened, and he looked up at the irate boy.

"Look," Masato said, "I know it's tough. I used to be a tennis-player, and my legs were strong enough that I could leap tall fences like an Olympic athlete. Those days are over now."

"So?"

"Here, we focus on what we CAN do," the Earth-lord explained, "There are so many ways we can improvise with our muscles. Note my shoes."

He lifted up his right leg and indicated a shoe with laces. Placing the leg back down and waiting out the spasticity-induced bouncing, Masato then used his arms and head to swing forward. He reached down and untied the shoe, then tied it again, grasping the laces between his thumbs and forefingers. Once finished, Masato pushed himself back up and smiled at his audience.

"Everyone is led to believe that once you break your neck, the world has ended and life will suck forever," he continued.

Yoshi nodded, but listened along with his parents as Masato spoke.

"Life sucks for me as much as it does for someone with working legs," the auburn-haired man concluded, "No more, no less."

Cracking a smile at the boy, he then asked, "So, when shall we begin our first session?"

Yoshi nodded, then looked down at the CD-player which was still tucked under Masato's leg.

"Can I have that back now?" he asked, still understandably annoyed.

* * *

After several appointments and some office work, Masato rolled back to his Ferrari and got in. The day had been quite busy as usual, and at times infuriating. A lift malfunctioned during a demonstration on transferring to a bed, leaving Masato hanging until a few nurses-in-training helped him down into his chair. Next, during a class on physical therapy, one of the students almost dislocated Masato's leg(resulting in a stiff chewing-out from the auburn-haired Earth lord). He was glad the day was finally over, despite enjoying helping people with disabilities.

Driving around for awhile, Masato decided to stop at the park where he met Naru. It had been a little over two years, two years since they met, and since he spoke his last words to her.

Naru was a very interesting girl. Before he met her, Masato never knew a human could be so kind and compassionate, even to a stranger who was just using her for his mission. She even saved his life, when Sailor Moon tried to finish him off with her tiara. The second time Naru tried to save him however, it was too late; the poison thorns had already weakened him too much, and Masato – Nephrite – faded and died in her arms. He wanted to have that chocolate parfait with her so much... to just for once tell her the truth.

Now he had another chance, a chance to make up for everything. Naru was in danger, however, and Masato had to keep his wits about him. He wasn't going to make that mistake again.

Getting out of his car, Masato re-assembled his light wheelchair and then transferred into it. He didn't know what Naru would think, and only hoped she would recognize him.

Wheeling himself over to a nice, sunny spot, Masato closed his eyes. He took in the sounds of birds chirping, the voices of children at play and the occasional passer-by, the warmth of the sun on his face and the fresh smell of trees and grass. What a perfect place to just relax. It was so quiet and peaceful, that Masato almost fell asleep.

Two familiar voices woke the Earth-lord from his meditation, and he decided to investigate. Masato wheeled himself over to a park bench and saw Usagi – Sailor Moon – comforting Naru. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but Naru sounded worried. She seemed alright for now, but Masato needed to know what was wrong, so he came closer to listen.

"I know, Usagi," Naru said, "But Umino hasn't called me at all lately. I wonder if he's angry with me or something."

"He's probably just worried about the upcoming exams, Naru. Don't sweat it. I know he loves you."

"I've seen him a few times and he's just blown me off," Naru insisted, "He told me that he needed to work harder and stop slacking off."

Those words made Masato's hair stand on-end. Was Umino part of this Organization? He wheeled himself closer, making an effort to stay hidden.

"I can't stop worrying about Umino," the red-headed girl continued, "He helped me out so much after... after Nephrite's death. I used to be so annoyed by his silly Tuxedo Umino Mask antics, but he's such a sweetheart, you know. And without his glasses, he looks so different."

"Whatever it is," Usagi told her, "I'm sure he'll snap out of it pretty soon. If not, I'll pound him to the pavement! Nobody breaks my friend's heart and lives!"

Hearing this, Masato reached in the pouch attached to his wheelchair, taking out a notepad and a pen. He put the pen in his mouth and held up the pad, writing a quick, slightly-clumsy note. Masato usually wrote with the pen in both hands, using the one to keep the other steady, but there was no table and he didn't want to risk dropping anything. Satisfied that the kanji was readable, he ripped the note off of the pad and crumpled it up, throwing it in the direction of the girls. It hit Usagi in the head, startling her and interrupting the conversation.

Before the girls could reach him, Masato turned and started toward his car, looking to see if the girls had recognized him. Usagi read the note, then handed it to Naru, who looked very confused. She then started after Masato, holding the rumpled paper. He had to get back to his place, though. It didn't feel like the right time to show himself to Naru, and the Earth-lord felt a strange aura now, one that unsettled him. Even if Naru was in danger, Masato felt that she would at least be safe if he was not around.

As he made his way to the car, Masato bumped into someone.

"Excuse me," he apologized, "Sorry about that. Was in a bit of a hurry."

The person he had bumped into, a woman in a blue uniform, looked down her nose, giving the Earth-lord a suspicious look.

"Don't worry about it," the woman replied, "Just stay safe. Accidents happen."

Not liking the tone of her voice at all, Masato wheeled himself away from the park, leaving his car. He had a feeling that using it now would be a very bad idea. Masato glanced over his shoulder, watching Usagi and Naru laughing about something. He hated leaving her behind like this, but somehow the Earth-lord had been marked, and it would be better if he stayed as far away from Naru as possible, in case she was used as a pawn yet again.

* * *

Naru looked at the note again and sighed. Whoever that strange man was, he looked somewhat familiar. Maybe she was just seeing things. It had been two years since that night, since Nephrite had died and faded away in her arms. Seeing that man in the wheelchair brought back so many painful memories, and questions.

Did he go to heaven? Did he find happiness? Did he miss her as much as she missed him? Did he come back?

"No," Naru mumbled to herself, "He's gone."

"Naru, what's worrying you now?"

"Oh nothing important," Naru sighed, "Just some old memories coming back."

"Old memories?" Usagi asked.

"You weren't there," Naru replied, "You wouldn't know."

"Y-you mean," Usagi began, catching herself before she could blurt anything out.

"Two years ago," Naru explained, "A very handsome man saved me. Remember when I called you and told you about this guy named Sanjouin Masato... that he was in trouble and stuff?"

Usagi nodded, shedding a tear despite herself.

"Well, he saved me from these three monsters and an evil man. Then we went to the park and I bandaged his arm... he got hurt protecting me. Then those three demons attacked us again but he pushed me out of the way, and got stabbed."

Sniffling, Naru wiped a tear from her eye, then continued: "He got hurt saving my life again... just after he told me he would take me out for a chocolate parfait. It was my dream to have a chocolate parfait with him. Why are you crying, Usagi?"

"Oh... n-nothing," Usagi lied, "Just some dirt in my eye."

"I see," Naru said, not entirely convinced, "That man in the wheelchair... I couldn't get a good look at him, but he reminded me of Nephrite. This hasn't happened for such a long time, Usagi. I wonder if something's wrong with me."

"Naru," Usagi replied, "Nothing's wrong with you. Bad memories never really go away. But you do have good memories of him, don't you?"

The redhead girl nodded, smiling a little.

"Yeah, you're right," she said, "But still, that man in the wheelchair seemed to be in a real hurry. I just want to know if he was the one who gave me this note. I want to know if this was a prank or something."

Naru looked around to see if the man was still there, but there was no sign of him.

"I could go this way," Usagi offered, pointing to her left, "While you go the other way. We might find him."

Smiling, Naru nodded and ran to the street, then spotted a familiar-looking red sports car.

"Nephrite?" she breathed.

Resuming her search, Naru ran down the right side of the sidewalk, past a few cosplaying girls and some teenagers in uniforms that looked like they were from the military. Soon, she caught sight of the strange red-haired man, who was speeding down the sidewalk in his wheelchair.

"Excuse me, sir!" she yelled, trying to catch up with him.

As she drew closer, Naru noticed that the man's foot was dragging. Was he paralyzed?

"Sir!" Naru called, "Sir! Your foot!"

The man turned to glance at her, then let out a cry of surprise as his wheelchair tipped over.

That face... it had to be Nephrite.

Running over to the fallen man as fast as she could, Naru saw him sprawled on the pavement, right in front of an approaching freighter truck.

"Oh my god!" she shouted, rushing to the unconscious man's side and grabbing his arms and trying to lift him up, "Somebody help me!"

Naru managed to drag the man unceremoniously out of the swerving truck's way, and over to the kerb next to his overturned wheelchair.

"Mister... are you alright?" she asked, patting the man's cheek.

The auburn-haired man shook his head and moaned, then opened his eyes. He blinked a little, then looked straight at Naru and yelled, "You're in danger! Get away from here!"

"It's alright," Naru said, trying to reassure the man, whose outburst baffled her and brought back more memories.

"No!" the man insisted, "You need to stay away! You're in danger!"

"You were in danger just now!" Naru shot back, "A big truck almost ran you over when you fell!"

"Ugh..." the man groaned, reaching for the side of his head, "I... fell?"

"Yeah," Naru replied, "Looks like you need some help. I could call 119 if you need a doctor."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a cellular phone, one which her mother had just bought in case of emergencies. It was gray and rather large, with a big antenna sticking out of its top – barely fitting in the small purse. Quickly dialing the emergency number, Naru waited for the operator.

"119, what is your emergency?" the operator asked.

* * *

Naru watched as the man was lifted onto a gurney and carried into the ambulance.

"Oh I hope he's okay," she sighed, looking at the note again.

"I think he'll be fine," Usagi said, "It's probably just a bump on the head or something."

"That poor man," Naru mumbled, "Having to use a wheelchair and then falling like that."

"I'm sure it was just an accident," Usagi reassured her, "Accidents happen to everyone, even to those who can walk."

"Yeah, but I bet it's a real drag not being able to get up again."

"Maybe, but everyone can find a reason to be happy."

"He even sounded like Nephrite," Naru continued on, not paying much attention to Usagi's words, "I wish I could've helped him."

"Oh Naru," Usagi said, wrapping her friend in a comforting hug, "Why don't you come over to my place and we can talk there."

"I can't do that tonight," Naru replied, "I gotta go to one of those boring parties with my mom. It sucks that you can't come with me."

"A party?" Usagi asked, "Who's the lucky celebrity this time? Is it Gackt or some idol group?"

"No, it's a charity concert for some guy who came here from the Middle East. He's trying to raise awareness for this disease that I can't pronounce. Something to do with not being able to go outside during the day."

"Oooh!" Usagi chuckled mischievously, "You mean like vampires? I vahnt to suck your blood! Bleh! Bleh!"

"Not like that," Naru groaned, "Honestly, sometimes you're so immature. Anyway, I gotta hurry up and get ready."

* * *

"We have him."

The tone of the ambulance attendant's voice alarmed Masato. He had to escape somehow, or possibly suffer the fate of his first nurse. If only he could reach the carnation...

The straps on the gurney, however, kept Masato from moving at all. Despite all his struggling, he couldn't get his arm free.

"Kunzite... Zoisite... Sailor Moon... help," he whispered.

* * *

Zoisite was practicing on his synthesizer keyboard for the benefit concert. He knew it was not very smart to keep practicing for so long without rest, but public performances demanded perfection and attention to detail. Those idiots just didn't understand it, thinking that any mistake could just be ignored. The shoddy pop music had dulled their senses.

As he worked on a particularly difficult song, Zoisite heard a familiar voice whispering to him:

"Help... Zoisite... help me..."

"So," the sandy-blond Earth-lord chuckled, "You finally need my assistance. I shall have to think about it."

Then he felt someone touching his hand. Looking up, Zoisite saw the ghostly form of Serenity looking at him with pleading eyes.

"He needs you now," the moon queen said, as she faded away.

"Heh. Well if you say so," Zoisite grumbled, reaching into his shirt and pulling out the zinnia.

With the sharp end of the flower, he pricked his finger and let the green light envelop him. Zoisite welcomed the refreshing infusion of energy, and ran up the stairs looking for Kunzite. In their room, he saw the older Earth-lord holding his white chrysanthemum. The freckles on Kunzite's skin glowed white, and his shadow crept up his body, enveloping him and transforming into a tuxedo with white trim.

"I see you already got the message," Zoisite noted with a sly smile, "Let's get going!"

* * *

As she watched Naru leave, Usagi heard the voice of someone from the past, and saw a familiar face – that of a man with dark red, wavy hair.

"N-nephrite?" she whispered.

"He needs your help, Mama."

Startled, Usagi turned around to see none other than Chibiusa looking up at her.


	7. Chapter 7

"Chibiusa?" Usagi gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"Mama, it's important!" the young girl with pink odango pigtails begged, "You need to transform!"

"Chibi, what are you talking about?"

Chibiusa shook her head.

"He's one of Papa's guardians! You told me about him when I was little, how he was a bad guy who turned good and helped save Naru's life! You gotta help him!"

"Nephrite? But he's... he's dead. I saw him dying in Naru's arms."

"But he needs you, Mama! " Chibiusa insisted, "Please help him!"

Usagi began to have a very bad feeling that this peace would not last. She reached into her backpack and pulled out her communicator, which was beeping. The odango-haired girl and her friends used their communicators every-so-often, such as when they were lost or had forgotten to charge their cellular phones. Usagi was often guilty of the latter. Other times, she crammed so much stuff in her backpack or purse that there was no room, and would whine about those portable phones being so big.

Answering the communicator, Usagi saw Rae's face appear on one of the screens.

"Rae, what's the emergency?"

"I've been getting some serious bad vibes lately," the dark-haired girl replied, "Do you know about this 'Happy Hub' organization?"

"Um, I've heard of it," Usagi replied, "Did you take one of those personality tests or something?"

"I was waiting in line for it," Rae replied, "And I started feeling some major bad vibes from the girl working at the kiosk."

"You mean she's another monster?" Usagi asked, "Are we gonna hafta deal with ANOTHER kingdom of darkness?"

The girl's face looked grim.

"I'm not sure what we're dealing with, Usagi, but that woman wasn't a monster... she seemed possessed. I could sense some deep sadness in her."

"Something weird happened to me just now," Usagi replied, "Chibiusa came and told me Nephrite is back and he's in trouble."

"What?"

"I don't understand this either... and yes, Rae, I know there's a lot I don't understand," Usagi snarked.

"Look, Usagi," Rae said, cracking a sad smile at the odango-haired princess's self-deprecation, "There's a lot you do understand, and right now we need to find out where Nephrite is. There's a lot of good in him, from the way he acted toward Naru. I think we can find him if you and Chibiusa lead the way. Meet us at Mako's house."

Usagi nodded.

"Sure thing, Rae!"

* * *

"So you think Nephrite is back?"

"Naru told me she saw a guy in a wheelchair who looked like Nephrite," Usagi replied, looking up at the sky, "That man she was following even threw a piece of paper at us... and it hit me in the head."

The other Senshi and the two cats laughed.

"It's not funny, you guys!" Usagi growled, getting ready to give them all a bonk on the head.

"She's right," Ami piped up, "If Nephrite is alive and in trouble, we need to find him."

"I do have some memories of him," Mako sighed, "And he did break my heart."

"How did he do that?" the others groaned, bored with the tall girl's constant stories about that one guy from her old school.

"He joined Beryl in the war against the Moon Kingdom," Mako retorted, "That would break any girl's heart, right?"

Usagi and the others nodded, remembering that sad day when everything was destroyed.

"Well," Minako began, "Let's get going. Rae can detect the vibes of this 'Happy Hub', and maybe they'll lead us to our man!"

Suddenly, they all heard a voice whispering, "Help me..."

"That is Nephrite's voice!" Ami, Rei and Mako shouted.

The girls took their transformation pens out of their purses.

"Moon Eternal Power Make Up!" Usagi called out, while Chibiusa's transformation was "Moon Crystal Power Make Up!"

The other girls followed suit, morphing into their Senshi forms.

* * *

At an art museum, a woman with shoulder-length wavy hair was busy analyzing a recent addition.

"Earth to Michiru," someone whispered, "Come in, please."

"Sorry, Haruka," the woman chuckled, "I've been lost in thought for awhile."

"Hmm..." Haruka mused, "About our future, perhaps the immediate future... when we get home, Michiru?"

Michiru gave Haruka a reproving look, but cracked a smile.

"Haruka," she said, "I can feel energy being taken... sucked out of people all over Tokyo. Someone is calling out for help. Someone from our past."

"Our past? One of the enemies or allies?"

"Both."

Haruka gave Michiru a puzzled look.

"Who is this person?"

"I'm not certain," Michiru explained, "But we did meet for a short time. I can only make out his face."

She took her mirror out of her purse and looked into it. The image it showed, of four men, three of them with long hair, three with wavy hair, brought back several vague memories to both women.

"Somehow... we know these people?" Haruka wondered out loud.

"I just know that they took part in destroying the Moon Kingdom," Michiru replied, "I know that they were killed... three of them to be precise, but one survived."

The blond woman scratched her head.

"Then he's the one calling you?"

"No," Michiru explained, "I don't know his exact location either. All I know is he is in terrible pain."

The image in the mirror changed to that of the blond, short-haired man encased in crystal, his face frozen in a scream.

"Oh god," Haruka shuddered, "Are you saying we must save this man?"

Michiru shook her head.

"We must let the others save him. It is not within our power. There is an organization, however, which has been giving me a very bad feeling."

"Is it some nutty setup that gives people personality tests and sells books?" Haruka joked.

"This is serious," Michiru insisted, "The Happy Hub is giving off some very dark vibrations. I think it might have a connection with these disappearances, and that man may be next."

"Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama!" Hotaru called from one of the rooms, "Check out these paintings!"

"I hope this isn't what I think it is," Haruka sighed, "Hotaru deserves to live a normal life. She's so young."

"I know. But we are needed. This is the life of a sailor senshi."

"It is," Haruka whispered, "Though I am glad I was awakened as a senshi."

She pulled Michiru close and kissed her on the lips.

"As am I," Michiru replied after the kiss was broken, "As for what you spoke of earlier... I am looking forward to it... when we get home."

"Mama, Papa?"

The two lovers turned to see Hotaru looking up at them, grinning.

"Come on!" she said, pulling them over to the next room, "There's a buncha paintings done by a girl who paints with her feet! They don't have any names, but I think we can try givin' them some!"

"Well, for a few minutes maybe," Haruka chuckled, "But we gotta leave soon, okay?"

"Aww!" Hotaru pouted.

Let her be a normal kid for awhile longer, Michiru thought, smiling wistfully.

* * *

"So you think that man in the wheelchair might be Nephrite?" Mako asked.

Rei nodded.

"From what Usagi told me, it could well be him. Naru was able to recognize who he was after all, even in his Tuxedo Mask disguise."

"Not that hard to do," Minako added, "From my memories of Nephrite, it wouldn't be that hard to miss him – long hair, dreamy eyes, perfect smile and a hot body... ooh I'm starting to fangirl now!"

"Mina!" the others groaned.

"What?" Minako laughed, "I'm just saying he was quite the hunk, though really, Kunzite was a whole lot hunkier and had such pretty, serious eyes. I'm so in love now!"

"Mina," Usagi puffed, trying to run and talk at the same time, "You DO remember that he and Zoisite were quite... close... before Zoisite just went missing? Dunno why it happened. Kunzite was quite pissed and upset."

"Just 'cause they were friends?" Minako argued, apparently missing the point as usual.

Usagi and the others slapped their foreheads.

"He's GAY in other words, Mina!" they chorused.

The blond Senshi of love stopped in her tracks and looked rather distraught.

"Gay?"

"Venus! Let's get going!" Rae yelled, "This is no time to pout over someone you loved over a millennium ago being in love with someone else!"

Suddenly, Minako's eyes grew wide and sparkly, as if she were in a dream world.

"Oh how ROMANTIC!" she sighed, smiling as if she were gushing over a romance manga, "They are quite perfect together I think... aww why couldn't they have turned good? I would so love to get a picture of them kissing!"

"Venus!" the others yelled, "Let's get going!"

"My computer is picking up some dark energy coming from a building," Ami called, "It's at the location of a hospital named 'H-H-Q'."

"I've heard of that place," Mako noted, "One side is a hospital and clinic, and the other side is a fire department. It's somewhere around the outskirts of Tokyo!"

"How far away is it?" Usagi asked, cringing at the thought of having to run that far.

"Oh, Odango-brain!" Rae yelled, "Who cares how far it is? We've gotta stop whoever it is from hurting Nephrite!"

"I know," Usagi whined, "My feet are just starting to get blisters! Why can't we teleport?"

"We need to save... our power, Sailor Moon," Ami explained, "We can't just use it to teleport everywhere, and it's not too far. Besides, exercise is good for you."

"Yeah," Mako added, "And you need it after eating all that junk food! You don't wanna get fat!"

"I'm not fat!" Usagi yelled, picking up her pace and trying to catch up to the snickering Sailor Jupiter.

"You seem to be porking up a bit," Rae joked, poking Usagi's side and starting a loud argument.

"Oh dear," Ami sighed, "They're at it again."

"At least they haven't slowed their pace," Mako observed.

* * *

When they reached H-H-Q, the senshi looked for a rear entrance. Many of the people going in and out of the buildings wore special uniforms with a strange insignia – an 'h' enclosed by two rhombuses.

"Weird kinda nurse uniform," Usagi whispered.

"That's because the hospital and fire station buildings are both owned by the Happy Hub," Mina replied, "Though you gotta admit, they do look kinda snazzy."

Suddenly, they heard footsteps. Turning around, the senshi caught sight of two caped figures wearing top-hats.

"Looks like we got company," Mako warned.

"They look kinda like Tuxedo Mask," Usagi observed, "But their hair is too long."

"I think I recognize one of them," Minako added, "He reminds me of someone I used to know a long time ago."

"Who goes there?" the taller, straight-haired figure asked.

"That voice!" Minako shouted, "Kunzite?"

The two figures stepped closer. They both wore tuxedos and costume masks, but their outfits were somewhat different from Mamoru's; their lapels and cuffs were trimmed in white for the taller, white-haired figure, and green for the shorter, wavy-haired one. Both had capes with undersides that matched the colour schemes of their outfits.

"We are the sailor senshi!" Sailor Moon replied, "And we're here to rescue someone, so if you're working for this 'Happy Hub', on behalf of the Moon, Chibi-Moon and I will punish you!"

"We are here to rescue someone as well, Sailor Moon," the shorter figure chuckled, stepping closer, "Ah, this is a momentous occasion, as you may gaze upon the beauty of Tuxedo Zoisite."

"Zoisite?" Usagi and the other senshi, except for Chibi-Moon, chorused.

The small, pink-haired girl started toward the wavy-haired tuxedo man, only to be pulled back by Usagi and Rae.

"Chibi! No! He's dangerous!"

"Yes, I am," Tuxedo-Zoisite laughed, "Which is why you need me and Kunzite for this. We are here to rescue Nephrite."

"What are you two planning?" Usagi demanded.

"Planning?" Zoisite chuckled mischievously, "We are under the instruction of your mother."

"That's a lie!" Usagi yelled, "My mother would never consult the likes of you guys!"

"But mama, it's true," Chibiusa insisted, "I've been having dreams, and I told you about them in the future. You sent me here to help them."

"What do you mean, Small Lady?" Usagi whispered.

"Just trust them. They don't mean us any harm!"

"We can explain later," Kunzite stated, "Right now, we have to get inside and rescue him. Zoisite and I have both had a bad feeling about this organization."

Zoisite nodded.

"I think the spirit of your mother wants us to fight it, as part of our penance."

"I don't know about that," Usagi said, "And I don't trust you two, especially you, Zoisite, after what you did to Nephrite – right in front of Naru!"

At those words, Zoisite's face took on a look of pain and guilt.

"I understand, Princess," he replied, giving a short bow, "But we must go inside. I have a debt to repay."

* * *

Masato surveyed the room where he was being held. Somehow, they were prepared, as his hands were strapped to the sides of the bed. The Earth lord couldn't reach into his shirt and hold his carnation, and any attempt at using his powers would likely attract too much attention. If only he had his shadow, an imaginary friend which Masato had used in one of his missions.

"Help me..." he whispered, struggling vainly against the straps.

Suddenly, Masato felt something inside him, somewhat like his shadow-self but light and flighty. As he watched, a small bird with a crest on its head climbed out of his chest. It was a cockatiel, with patches of yellow and white on its tan plumage. There also were patches of tan on its face, where in most male cockatiels it would be yellow.

"What is this?" he wondered, as the bird looked around and cocked its head and flew out of the room.

* * *

As they ran through the hallway, the Senshi and Tuxedos watched for any sign of trouble.

"Keep your footsteps quiet!" Kunzite hissed, "We can't draw attention to ourselves!"

"We're trying," Ami panted, "But we must get to Nephrite quickly!"

"We'll hafta find out where they're keeping the patients though," Mako noted.

A lightbulb went on in Usagi's head.

"I know how we can get to Nephrite without them noticing," she said, reaching into her purse and pulling out the disguise pen.

"But how will that help with only you disguised as a nurse?" Rae protested.

"I have a plan," Usagi explained, "Let's see if this works!"

She held up the pen and summoned its power, but whispering instead of shouting as usual:

"Moon Power... disguise us all as nurses from this hospital!"

A soft light surrounded all of the Senshi and the two Tuxedo guardians, and when it dissipated, they were all wearing hospital scrubs complete with the insignia.

"Never thought Usagi could actually do that," Rae sighed, "Guess I underestimated her... again."

"Well, whaddaya expect from the one who defeated Chaos?" Usagi asked, wiggling her eyebrows and giving a silly grin.

"Ugh, I'd argue with you," Rae growled, "But I'll do it later."

"Look, guys!" Chibi-Moon called, pointing to something flying through the hallway, "A bird!"

A tan and yellow bird swooped down and tugged at the little girl's hair, squawking and whistling frantically.

"What's a bird doing in a hospital?" Usagi wondered.

"Yeah," Minako added, "Don't they have regulations about taking pets in places like this?"

"I think he wants us to follow him," Ami noted.

"I wonder if that bird tastes good," Diana mused as she ran alongside Chibiusa.

"You don't eat cockatiels, silly," Minako laughed, "And besides that, we'd better follow that bird!"

The others nodded, and let the bird lead the way.

"Nephrite has really outdone himself," Zoisite noted, "Getting captured this easily? I guess some things never change."

"I'd rather some things stay the same, my love," Kunzite replied with a wink.

"Sheesh," Mako grumbled, "It's like having Uranus and Neptune around, except now they're both men!"

Soon, they came across a group of staff members, women dressed for what could be the army marching down the hallway.

"Uh oh, we got company!" Rei warned.

"Um, coming through!" Usagi yelled, "Cute lost birdie on the loose, gang way! Oops sorry 'bout that!"

The others followed, bumping into the two lines of officers and sending them crashing into the walls and gurneys.

"Hey!" the leader shouted, "Your hair is not regulation. Who are you?"

"Sorry, Miss," Minako called back, "We're really new here and couldn't pick out a new style just yet. Besides, aren't ribbons and pigtails just the cutest?"

"MINA!" the other senshi yelled, "Come on!"

"Who's Mina?" Mina asked, before leaning over and hissing, "Hey, why are you revealing my real name to these guys? How do we know if we can trust them?"

"Now's not the time, Mina," Mako hissed back, "We gotta go help someone before they get us!"

"Right, right," Mina sighed, before going back to following the cockatiel, which let out a few irritated squawks and gave her a look that said she was going to get an earful later on.

* * *

Finally, they made it into a room where someone was strapped to a gurney.

"Hmm, I've heard about a bed shortage," Mako mused, "But this is ridiculous."

The bird flew down onto the patient's head, then sunk and disappeared into it. Seeing it as their cue, Zoisite and Kunzite stood by the door, along with Mina, Ami and Rei. Chibiusa, Mako and Usagi went over to the gurney and looked to see who it was.

"Nephrite?" Usagi breathed.

"Please, untie me," Nephrite whispered, "And hurry!"

The three young senshi worked to undo the straps, then helped the man to a sitting position.

"Can you walk?" Usagi asked.

"In a moment, I will be able to," the auburn-haired man replied, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a yellow carnation.

"Well you won't be walking once I get through with you," Mako scolded, "You had a lotta nerve doing what you did, breaking my heart!"

Nephrite just nodded, looking sadly at the cold, hard floor as he transformed.

"Well, this must wait," he replied, "And for what it's worth, I am very sorry for doing what I did. I hope you can someday forgive me."

"You can do that by never breaking a girl's heart again!" Mako snapped, grinning at him like a Cheshire cat.

Taken off guard by the answer, Nephrite nodded with a goofy smile.

"Now let's get outta here!" Rei yelled, "I can hear them coming!"

"We have to find my wheelchair," Nephrite protested, "I won't be able to get around very easily without it."

"We can get you a new one," Rei shot back.

"I don't want them getting my wallet and finding the location of my house!" Nephrite yelled.

"It just keeps getting better and better," Zoisite sighed.

"That's my Nephrite," Mako groaned.

* * *

"You know, with all the trouble you've got us into, I'm surprised Beryl didn't ice you sooner!" Mako yelled as they burst through a lobby, fully aware of the stares they drew.

"Believe me," Zoisite grumbled, "She almost did. He was spared by a stroke of luck and some love energy from a certain redhead."

"Why am I NOT surprised?"

"I know it's somewhere on this floor," Nephrite assured them, "I can recognise the layout."

"Were you there?" Rei asked.

"No, my bird was."

"Figures," Mako muttered, "Well it better be here or I swear you'll be drivin' it with a straw after I get done with you!"

As they passed an office, the senshi and Tuxedos overheard a man talking to someone.

"Yes," the man said, "Red sports car? We found it in an impound lot and took it in. It should be in the garage, section 5A-33.

"A sports car?"

Mako couldn't believe her ears.

"So that's how you picked up that redhead?"

"Look," Rei hissed, "I really don't care about your issues right now - we need to get his stuff away from those people!"

"You so need to let me drive it," Mako continued, "I've always wanted to drive a real sports car!"

"Mako!" the other senshi chorused.

"This is bad," Nephrite panted, "It has several important documents for my rehab center!"


End file.
